by Justin Lagat
This is a preview story for Nagoya Women’s marathon, which happens on Sunday, March 12, 2023, which is early evening in US on Saturday, March 11, 2023! Thanks, Justin!
Ruth Chepnegetich is an amazing talent, what will she do in Nagoya?
Last year, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich missed two world records by small margins. She missed the women’s marathon world record in Chicago by only 14 seconds after running 2:14:18, the second fastest time in history, to win it. She also narrowly missed the women’s only marathon world record at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in March – a race she is set to race this weekend (the 12th of March).
As she returns to defend her title, all eyes will be on the 28-year-old who ran 2:17:18 –breaking the old course record by over 3 minutes- last year to win the race ahead of Lornah Salpeter of Israel who came in to finish second more than a minute later in 2:18:45. Chepngetich’s winning time was just 17 seconds shy of the women only world record of 2:17:01, set by Mary Keitany, on April 23, 2017, at the London Marathon.
Chepngetich, who holds the Kenyan record for the half marathon at 1:04:02, has already started her year well. Her dominant run to win the Kenyan national cross-country championships in January is a sure indication that she is currently in good form. It is just a matter of whether the weather, her health, and the pacers will all work well for her.
Another Kenyan, Nancy Jelagat, the winner of the 2021 Valencia Marathon in a personal best time of 2:19:30, is the other top star on the elite start list. Her half marathon personal best time of 1:05:21, which she recorded in August 2021 in Berlin, should offer some assurance that she should be able to give some company to Chepngetich during the race.
USA’s Molly Siedel and Germany’s Katharina Steinruck have had to withdraw from the race due to a right hip injury and acute sinusitis in the maxillary sinus, respectively.
All the top Japanese women in the marathon will form the biggest fraction of the elite runners in this race given that the race will act as Japan Marathon Championship Series, Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships Japan National Team Selection Competition, Hangzhou2022 Asian Games Japan National Team Selection Competition, and Marathon Grand Championship challenge.
