In Great Britain, the anticipation for the London Marathon partially centred around Scotland’s Eilish McColgan and her debut. It will have to wait as she has suffered an injury. Additionally, Canada’s national marathon record holder Natasha Wodak is out as an injury and then sickness got in the way of her training.
All eyes are now on the women’s-only marathon record.
From Inside the Games:
Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who will defend her title in the TCS London Marathon on Sunday (April 23), will have the women-only race world record of 2hr 17min 01sec in her sights – as will Kenya’s Tokyo 2020 champion Peres Jepchirchir.
Speaking at a pre-event media conference Yehualaw, 23, who became the youngest winner of the women’s race in London last October, responded positively to the suggestion that the women-only race world record set at the 2017 London Marathon by Kenya’s Mary Keitany could be broken.
“I hope we will beat the course record or women-only world record,” Yehualaw said.
“I want to defend my title on Sunday.
“My preparation has gone well and I am ready to do my best.”
Yehualaw was not far from the record at the 2022 London Marathon as she clocked 2:17:26, having run the fastest women’s marathon debut with a 2:17:23 timing in Hamburg.
Jepchirchir, who had to miss last autumn’s New York City Marathon because of gluteus muscle injury, was also positive about the prospect of such a challenge.
