Tokyo, Japan — Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir delivered a performance of grit and glory on Sunday, edging Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa in a nail-biting sprint finish to win the women’s marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Jepchirchir crossed the line in 2:24:43, just two seconds ahead of Assefa, to claim her country’s second gold medal of the championships.
The humid Tokyo conditions tested the endurance of the world’s elite marathoners, but Jepchirchir, the 2021 Olympic champion, summoned a late burst of energy. “I was so exhausted,” she said after the race. “At 100 metres when I saw the finishing line, I told myself, let me try if I’m going to win. Thank God that I managed.”
Her Ethiopian rival accepted silver with humility, noting: “It was the same at the Paris Olympics when I finished second. But I don’t like to think I lost gold — I always try to be positive and think that I won the silver.”
The victory drew praise across Kenya. Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei hailed Jepchirchir as a symbol of resilience: “Peres has once again proven why Kenya is the home of champions. Her victory in Tokyo is a testament to the dedication, discipline, and spirit that Kenyan athletes carry with them to the global stage.”
For Jepchirchir, the triumph comes as part of an already glittering career, and it adds to Kenya’s medal tally following Beatrice Chebet’s gold in the women’s 10,000m earlier in the week.
The back-to-back victories have reignited hopes that Kenya will finish among the top medal winners at the championships.
Despite the physical toll of the race, Jepchirchir credited the support of fans inside the stadium for her final surge. “When I entered the stadium, I got a lot of energy from the fans. It was not my plan to sprint, but the cheers gave me strength,” she said.
As the celebrations continue back home, Jepchirchir’s victory not only cements her place among the greats of distance running but also strengthens Kenya’s enduring legacy in the world of athletics.