Lone ranger Violah Cheptoo to compete in highest-paying marathon

Kenyan runner Violah Cheptoo is set to square it out for the mouth-watering prize money with other top athletes at the 2024 Nagoya Women’s Marathon slated for Sunday March 10.

The Japan-based event is the highest-paying road race in the universe at the moment, with the winner expected to receive 250,000 United States dollars (approximately Ksh 36,076, 475).

According to the organizers of the event, the prize money for the competitors will be determined based on their results.

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Moreover, those who manage to complete the race are expected to return home with a pendant designed by one of the leading luxury jeweler manufacturers in the world in Tiffany & Co. 

Cheptoo goes into the race with a personal best of 2:22.44 which she set at the 2021 New York City Marathon where she settled for a second-place position behind the reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir.

The 34-year-old, who grew up in Nandi County which is popularly known as the source of champions, is the sibling to two-time world champion Bernard Lagat. The latter changed his citizenship to represent the United States.

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Cheptoo will go head-to-head with a number of brilliant runners including Kenyan-born Bahraini international Eunice Chumba and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase.

Chumba has the second fastest personal best of 2:20.02 among the confirmed entries which she set at the 2022 Seoul Marathon edition.

Gebreslase is the favorite to win this year’s title. The one-time world champion has the fastest time of 2:18.11 ahead of Sunday’s race.

She set the mark during the 2022 World Athletics Championships that was held in Eugene, Oregon.

Speaking during the pre-race press conference, Gebreslase revealed her intentions of setting a new course record.

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“My goal for Sunday is to run under 2 hours and 18 minutes, and if the weather and pacemakers are good, I will try to break the course record of 2:17:18,” she commented.

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich set the current course record in 2022 before retaining the title last year, clocking 2:18.8.

Some of the other athletes who are set to feature in the race include Romania’s Delvin Relin Meringor (2:20.49), Italy’s Giovanna Epis (2:23.46) and Australia’s Eloise Wellings (2:25.10).

The Japanese trio of Yuka Ando (2:22.22), Ayuko Suzuki (2:21.52) and Rika Kaseda (2:21.55) are also expected to be at the starting line on Sunday. 

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