TOKYO, Japan, Sept 14 – Returning to the country where she won the Olympic title four years ago, seasoned road runner Peres Jepchirchir ran a tactical race to out sprint Olympic silver medallist Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia to win her first World Athletics Championships title In Tokyo on Sunday morning.
For the better part of the race, it was neck-to-neck with the two top marathoners until the last kilometer where they were separated by a powerful final kick from Jepchirchir at 60 meters to joyfully cut the tape in a Season’s Best of 2 Hours, 24 Minutes, 43 seconds .
Assefa, who pulled the first move when they stepped into the National Stadium track, settled for silver once again at a global championships, clocking 2 Hours, 24 Minutes, 45 Seconds while Julia Paternain handed Uruguay its first medal ever after finishing third in 2 Hours, 27 Minutes, 23 Seconds.
Jepchirchir’s win ensured that Kenya not only reclaimed the title from Ethiopia for the first time since 2019 when Ruth Chepngetich won it in Doha, but also deliver a second gold for her country, and add the only missing medal in her cabinet.
For Jepchirchir it was a bitter sweet revenge to Assefa who beat the Kenyan at last year’s Paris Olympic Games where she won silver while the former finished to a disappointing 14th place.
The gold has brought joy to Jepchirchir as well after having an injury hit season that saw her withdraw from the London Marathon in April this year.
