The women’s talent on offer points to a Kenyan race in New York

Reigning Olympics champion, former world marathon record holder, two-time world marathon champion with 27 years of experience tucked in her belt, the reigning champion, and one of the most promising female marathoners.

That is Kenya’s arsenal in the women’s race of the 2023 New York City Marathon, the final event in the World Marathon Majors series, that will be held on Sunday from 3.30pm (Kenyan time).

Olympics marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, who also won the New York City Marathon in 2021, former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, reigning champion Sharon Lokedi, and Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri will run the women’s 42 kilometres competition in the final major marathon of the season. It will be a tough competition within the Kenyan camp itself before factoring in Ethiopians, and the rest of the world.

Jepchirchir, who finished third in London Marathon in April and has a personal best time of two hours, 17 minutes and 16 seconds, is the fastest Kenyan in the women’s field. She leads her compatriots Obiri (2:21:38), defending champion Lokedi (2:23:23), former world marathon record holder Kosgei (2:14:04), Kiplagat (2:19:50), Mary Ngugi (2:20:22), and Viola Cheptoo (2:22:44) against a field that also has 10,000m and half marathon world record-holder Letsenbet Gidey (2:16:49), and her compatriot Fantu Jifar (2:25:45). 

Last year, Gidey registered the fastest women’s marathon debut in history when she timed 2:16:49 to finish second in Valencia Marathon. This will be her first outing in New York.

As she prepares to compete in the third marathon race of her career tomorrow, Obiri considers herself one of the challengers to the throne.

“With little experience, I’m like the Biblical David going into Sunday’s race which has a strong field. Nobody knows who will win,” Obiri, who relocated to Colorado in USA, told Nation Sport yesterday.

She has likened today’s race to a championship event.

“It will be like a championship race with no pacemakers. The race has a very strong field, which makes it tricky. In the end, it may not be about who is the fastest, but who is the most tactical,” Obiri, who finished sixth last year on her debut over the distance, said.

US-based Lokedi won the race on her marathon debut last year, pulling away in the final stretch to finish in 2:23:23 ahead of Cheptoo.

Kiplagat, 43, who is also based in Colorado, competes in New York City Marathon for the sixth time.

She first represented Kenya at 1996 World Cross Country Championships in Stellenbosch, South Africa, but won her first marathon title in 2010 (Los Angeles Marathon). She finished fourth in New York last year (2:24:16).

In the men’s category, 2021 champion Albert Korir will fly Kenya’s flag alongside Edward Cheserek who is running his first marathon race. Defending champion Evans Chebet and two-time winner Geoffrey Kamworor are out injured.

As soon as one arrives at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York and gets through the customs control, banners and the aggressive marketing of New York City Marathon at the facility tells you that something big is about to go down in the city on the East Coast of USA. 

Nicknamed “Big Apple”, New York is home to NBA team New York Knicks, is the seat of the United Nations, and is home to the famous Broadway entertainment district. 

New York City Marathon is the last event in the Abott World Major Marathon (WMM) Series, six of the world’s biggest and most prestigious Marathon races. 

The other WMM events are Tokyo Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Boston Marathon, and London Marathon.