World Marathon record holder Peres Jepchirchir has vowed to make amends in future competitions following her poor performance at the Paris Olympics.
Jepchirchir, who entered the Paris Olympics as the reigning champion from Tokyo 2020, was expected to mount a strong defence of her crown.
However, she struggled on the day, finishing 15th with a time of 2:26:51, while the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan claimed gold with an Olympic record of 2:22:55. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa (2:22:58) and Kenya’s Hellen Obiri (2:23:10) rounded out the podium.
"I’m focused on recovery at the moment and planning for next year’s events. I have picked up lessons from Paris and I’m positive that good results are coming," Jepchirchir stated.
Despite the uncharacteristic result, Jepchirchir found solace in finishing the race. "This is the first time I've finished the marathon in such a position, but I thank God I was able to complete the race," she said.
Jepchirchir cited unfavourable weather conditions and a challenging course as factors in her performance.
"The weather wasn't ideal and the course was hilly. I was well-prepared to defend my title, but it wasn’t my day," she explained.
Jepchirchir's resume remains impressive, with victories in the 2021 New York Marathon (2:22:39), the 2022 Boston Marathon (2:21:01), and the 2023 London Marathon (2:16:16).
She also secured a second-place finish at the 2023 London Marathon with a time of 2:18:38.
Her half marathon achievements include three World Half Marathon titles from Cardiff 2016 (1:07:31), Gdynia 2020 (1:05:16) and Riga 2023 (1:07:25).
Meanwhile, Sharon Lokedi, who finished fourth in Paris with a time of 2:23:14, expressed surprise at her strong showing.
"I didn’t expect to finish fourth, but this race taught me to believe in myself and stay confident, even against tough competitors," Lokedi said.
The 30-year-old was a late addition to Kenya's marathon squad, stepping in for Brigid Kosgei, who withdrew due to injury.
Lokedi admitted she lacked the final kick to dash for the gold medal.
“The final few metres was a sprint and unfortunately, I couldn’t keep up with the leading pack. I didn’t have that final kick,” she stated.
She, however, believes she will keep improving with each race. “As we keep going, I promise to keep getting better to surpass my previous performances,” Lokedi said.
