Jepchirchir ready to end 2021 in style, seeks glory in New York

Peres Jepchirchir, of Kenya, celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the women's marathon at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in Sapporo, Japan.(AP)

Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir is ready to end the season in style at the 50th edition of the New York City marathon a week from today.

Jepchirchir will be seeking another glory, barely three months after winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The two-time world half marathon champion said she had only two months to prepare for the race and expressed confidence that she will produce impressive results in New York.

She was the race ambassador of the inaugural Moi Kapsowar Girls Charity and Conservation 10km race in Elgeyo Marakwet which was held yesterday.

Jepchirchir said she had prepared well for the race despite the short period for training.

She says she has been taking part in noble initiatives such as planting trees as I build my mental strength ahead of the New York City Marathon race on Sunday.

 “I have trained well and although the time for preparation was short, I am well prepared,” the Valencia marathon champion said.

She continued: “To minimize stress ahead of the race, I have chosen to take time to engage in environmental conservation and growing food during the last few days of the competition.”

Jepchirchir took only three weeks to rest after the Olympic win in Sapporo. She trains in Kapsabet.

Viola Cheptoo, the Kenyan athlete who has recently been speaking up against gender-based violence, following the death of her compatriot Agnes Tirop will make debuts in the marathon in the New York race.

Nancy Kiprop of Kenya, who finished fourth in the 2019 edition of the New York City 42km race will be seeking a podium place this year.

Kenyan big shots will face off Ethiopia’s mixed-gender world-record holder and the 2019 Chicago Marathon runner-up Ababel Yeshaneh.

Also, preparing to challenge Jepchirchir on the last world Marathon Major of the season, will be Namibia’s four-time Olympian and 2019 World bronze medallist Helalia Johannes, who was 11th in the Tokyo Olympic Marathon.

Others are Ethiopia’s Ruti Aga, who won the Tokyo Marathon and finished third at the TCS New York City Marathon in 2019. Greece’s 10,000-meter record-holder Alexi Pappas and Kenya’s

When the major marathons were cancelled in 2020, Jepchirchir set her eyes on the World Half Marathon Championships where she broke the women-only world record in Gdynia, Poland, crossing the finish line in 1:05:16.

In September last year, she smashed the women-only half marathon world record at the Prague 21.1km with a 1:05:34 run – a clear sign she had returned to form.