Kenya’s hopes for another golden moment at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo rest on the shoulders of Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir. The seasoned runner headlines a formidable women’s marathon squad eager to reclaim the title last won for Kenya in 2019.
Jepchirchir, 31, is no stranger to high-pressure environments. She famously triumphed under extreme conditions at the 2021 Olympics in Sapporo and believes the hot, humid Tokyo weather will once again test athletes’ endurance. To counter the challenge, organizers have scheduled the race at 1:30 a.m. Kenyan time, a measure aimed at easing heat stress. For Jepchirchir, teamwork will be crucial in navigating both the conditions and the opposition.
Joining her are Rotterdam Marathon champion Jackline Cherono and Magdalyne Masai, who impressed with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year. Veteran Vivian Cheruiyot has traveled as the reserve, bringing additional experience and depth to the Kenyan team. Together, the athletes are united in their mission to restore Kenya’s dominance in the 42km distance.
The task, however, will not be easy. Ethiopia arrives with a star-studded lineup spearheaded by Tigist Assefa, the former marathon world record-holder who stunned the world with her 2:11:53 run in Berlin in 2023. Assefa also set a world-leading 2:15:50 in London earlier this year and is widely viewed as the frontrunner for gold. She is joined by Sutume Asefa Kebede, a two-time Tokyo Marathon champion with a personal best of 2:15:55, and Tigist Ketema, winner of the 2024 Berlin Marathon.
Beyond the East African rivalry, the field also features dangerous challengers like Kenyan-born Israeli Lorna Salpeter and Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba, both eager to disrupt the dominance of Kenya and Ethiopia.
For Jepchirchir, victory in Tokyo would mark a historic milestone—becoming the first Kenyan to hold both Olympic and World Championships marathon titles. With career wins in London, Boston, New York, and Valencia, she has already cemented her place among the world’s elite. Despite a disappointing 14th-place finish at last year’s Olympics, her resilience, experience, and mental toughness make her Kenya’s best bet for glory.
As the women’s marathon unfolds, the stage is set for an epic showdown. For Kenya, it is not just about chasing medals but reclaiming pride on the global stage.
