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Nairobi — The Olympics champion for the women’s marathon, Peres Jepchirchir, says she will come back home to rest and then prepare for next year’s Paris Games after missing out on Sunday’s New York Marathon due to a calf injury.
The three-time world half marathon champion remains confident of shining in the women’s 42km in the French capital despite her latest setback.
“I will now go back…rest for maybe a week and get some treatment. I’d have to wait for my body to get fit and then prepare for it (Olympics). All this depends on whether our federation (Athletics Kenya) selects me in the team. Of course, they have told me that Eliud (Kipchoge) and I will be defending our titles and then others will be selected,” Jepchirchir said.
Jepchirchir, who won the New York Marathon in 2021, was compelled to withdraw from the battle in the Big Apple at the last minute following advice from her physical therapist.
“I sustained a lower leg injury during the last workout of my marathon training. I travelled to New York with hopes that it would improve but after two days of physical therapy, we have made the decision that I should not start the race,” she revealed.
Jepchirchir added: “I still hope to defend my Olympic title in Paris next year and do not want to do anything that might put that in jeopardy. I wish good luck to everybody running on Sunday.”
The 2022 Boston Marathon champion arrived in New York full of momentum, on the back of making history at the World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia where she became the first athlete to win three consecutive world half marathon titles.
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Understandably, she was heartbroken to be missing out on a second New York title.
“I am not happy at all because when I am preparing for a race and then suddenly I get injured. Regardless, I accept it because injuries are part of it (an athlete’s career). It is something that has affected me mentally but I know I will be fit again,” she said.
Despite the disappointment, Jepchirchir was happy to delve into the debate on the world record for the women’s marathon.
She confessed her dreams of one day setting a new record albeit added that it does not figure so much in her thoughts.
“It is not easy to break it now…maybe it will take some years. But for me, I have never prepared to break the world record although I know one day…one time, I will break it,” the former world record holder for the half marathon said.
Her withdrawal follows that of two-time New York Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor and men’s defending champion Evans Chebet.
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