Peres Jepchirchir Wins Marathon Gold, Lifts Kenya Out of 6-Year Wait at World Athletics Championships

Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchichir delivered a sensational performance to win the women’s marathon at the World Athletics Championships in 2:24:43.

The victory marks Kenya’s first women’s marathon gold since 2019, a result Jepchirchir called a testament to teamwork and preparation heading into this year’s championship in Tokyo.

The race came down to a thrilling showdown in the final 200 meters, where Jepchirchir surged past Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, the reigning world record-holder, in a dramatic sprint finish.

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Assefa had to settle for silver, while Uruguay’s Julia Paternain claimed bronze in 2:27:23, crossing the line so exhausted she reportedly did not realize she had finished.

Jepchirchir’s triumph secures Kenya’s second gold medal of the championships and further cements her reputation as one of the greatest marathoners of her generation.

Jepchirchir’s career is already one of the most decorated in marathon history. In an extraordinary eight-month span in 2021 and 2022, she became the only person ever to win the Olympic, Boston, and New York City marathons — with the Olympic marathon held in Sapporo, Japan.

She went on to win the 2024 London Marathon, breaking the women’s-only world record. Assefa then reclaimed that record with her sensational win at the 2025 London Marathon, setting the stage for their thrilling duel in Budapest.

Behind the medalists, more strong performances came from Laura Luengo of Spain in 2:30:55, Uganda’s Stella Chesang in 2:31:13, Japan’s Sayaka Sato in 2:31:15, Cuomu Ciren of China in 2:31:38, Hungary’s Nóra Szabó in 2:31:41, Bahrain’s Eunice Chebichii Chumba in 2:32:22, Anne Luijten of the Netherlands in 2:32:27, Kenya’s Jackline Cherono in 2:33:17, and Solange Jesus of Portugal in 2:33:24.