Chepkirui eyes sub-2:20 in Nagoya Women's Marathon title defence

Sheila Chepkirui/ FILE

‎The 2024 New York Marathon champion Sheila Chepkirui will chase a sub-2:20 performance when she defends her Nagoya Women's Marathon title on Sunday.

‎‎Chepkirui was triumphant during last year's edition in 2:20:40.

She outkicked Japan's Sayaka Sato, who timed 2:20:59 and Bahraini Eunice Chumba in 2:21:35.

‎"My goal on Sunday will be to try and defend my title," Chepkirui said during the pre-race press conference.

‎Further, Chepkirui says favourable weather could see her chase a faster time in the Japanese streets.

‎"It will also depend on the weather. If we have good weather, I will push myself to run 2:20 or under."

‎The 35-year-old further noted that her preparations for this year's race have not changed from last year.

‎‎"I haven't changed my training; it is similar to my training before last year's race. My main area of focus has been on gym work," she said.

‎‎Chepkirui enters the fray off the back of a mixed 2025 season.

‎After opening her 2025 with her Nagoya win, the 35-year-old traded the roads for the track, featuring in a 5,000m race at the Kenya Defence Forces championships.‎

‎In that race, she recorded a disappointing seventh-place finish, clocking 15:57.5.

‎Joyciline Jepkosgei (15:23.6), Daisilah Jerono (15:28.8) and Esther Chemtai (15:36.1) secured the podium in that race.

‎She, however, bounced back emphatically over 25 laps at the same championships, claiming victory in 33:34.14.

‎Chepkirui then returned to the roads, featuring at the Boston 10K to place seventh in 32:17.

‎Compatriots Sharon Lokedi (31:39) and Gladys Kwamboka (31:39) secured first and second place, with American Emily Sisson (31:42) rounding off the podium.

‎‎Chepkirui then won the Great North Run Half Marathon in Britain, clocking 1:09:32 and leading Vivian Cheruiyot (1:09:37) and Britain's Eilish McColgan (1:09:42) home.

‎‎The long-distance ace capped off her year with a third-place finish at the New York Marathon in a race where Kenyan women swept the podium.

‎Hellen Obiri (2:19:51) and Sharon Lokedi (2:20:07) finished first and second, respectively.

‎In Nagoya, Chepkirui faces a stern test from Ethiopia's Aynalem Desta, who enters the fray buoyed by her Amsterdam marathon triumph last year.

‎Adding more depth to the field is last year's third-place finisher, Chumba of Bahrain.

‎‎Joining Chepkirui will be Selly Kaptich, the 2022 Frankfurt Marathon champion, forming a strong Kenyan charge.‎