Jepkosgei aims for New York Half Marathon title defense

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, February 21, 2020
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NAIROBI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Champion Joyciline Jepkosgei said she will be keen to win the New York Half Marathon on March 15, admitting it's harder to break the world record in the U.S. courses.

Jepkosgei is one of the world-class professional athletes that will make the elite field that includes 14 Olympians and eight Paralympians leading 25,000 runners out next month.

Jepkosgei, who is booked to compete at the London marathon in April, said winning in New York will be an added advantage in her build up work.

"I have two races lined up for me. The New York Half Marathon and the Africa Cross Country Championships. Both races will offer me tough challenge against strong opponents to learn where I am ahead of the London Marathon in April 26," said Jepkosgei on Friday in Nairobi.

Last year, Jepkosgei won the New York Half and the New York Marathon in her first two trips to the United States. Now she will look to defend her event title against a stacked international field.

Jepkosgei won on a solo run in 2019 to the finish in a time of 1:10:07.

The world championships silver medalist in the distance became the sixth woman from Kenya to win the New York Half Marathon, and the first to do so since 2014.

She then made her marathon debut at New York after serving as pacesetter at the 2019 London Marathon.

To everyone's surprise, she finished in first place with a time of 2:22:38. She was just seven seconds off the course record and registered the second-fastest time in the women's open division in New York Marathon history.

The time was also the fastest ever by a woman making her New York City Marathon debut.

Jepkosgei is the world-record holder in the half marathon, having run 64:51 to win the 2017 Valencia Half Marathon in Spain.

"In my first two trips to the U.S. -- for the New York Half and the New York full marathon last year -- I was so excited to cross the finish line first to win both races," Jepkosgei added. "I cannot wait to return to New York to defend my title."

Challenging Jepkosgei will be two-time New York Half champion Caroline Rotich, Buze Diriba and last year's runner-up Mary Wacera. Enditem

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