Defending champion Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya is on a mission to retain her crown at the Nagoya Women\u2019s Marathon title this Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event, which this year falls on International Women\u2019s Day, is widely recognised as the world\u2019s largest women-only marathon and Chepkirui will face some strong competition when she returns to the roads of the Japanese city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 35-year-old, who won the New York City Marathon in 2024 and was second in Berlin in 2023, is one of 10 sub-2:22 athletes in the field. The PB of 2:17:29 she set on her debut in Valencia in 2022 puts her at the top of the entry list, but Ethiopia\u2019s Aynalem Desta came close to that mark with 2:17:37 in October. The field also features Asian record-holder Honami Maeda, who ran 2:18:59 when finishing second in Osaka in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chepkirui won last year\u2019s Nagoya Women\u2019s Marathon in 2:20:40 ahead of Japan\u2019s Sayaka Sato and Bahrain\u2019s Eunice Chumba. They all return this year to battle again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sato went on to finish 13th at the World Championships in Tokyo, three places ahead of Chumba, while Chepkirui followed her win in Nagoya with a third-place finish on her return to the New York City Marathon in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For 22-year-old Desta, the race offers an opportunity for her to build on the 2:17:37 PB she ran when winning the Amsterdam Marathon in October \u2013 her third marathon. Maeda\u2019s last marathon was a 2:24:36 ninth-place finish in Berlin in September, while she ran 1:10:07 at the Houston Half Marathon in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They will line up alongside Kenya\u2019s Selly Chepyego Kaptich, who ran 2:20:03 in Barcelona in 2023, plus Spanish record-holder Majida Maayouf and Australia\u2019s Oceanian 3000m steeplechase record-holder Genevieve Gregson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The home contenders will also be racing for qualification for the Marathon Grand Championship, Japan\u2019s selection race for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among those joining Maeda and Sato will be Japan\u2019s 2024 Nagoya champion Yuka Ando, Tokyo Olympian Ayuko Suzuki and 2023 World Championships representative Rika Kaseda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29
Aynalem Desta (ETH) 2:17:37
Honami Maeda (JPN) 2:18:59
Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:02
Selly Chepyego Kaptich (KEN) 2:20:03
Sayaka Sato (JPN) 2:20:59
Majida Maayouf (ESP) 2:21:01
Yuka Ando (JPN) 2:21:18
Ayuko Suzuki (JPN) 2:21:33
Rika Kaseda (JPN) 2:21:55
Genevieve Gregson (AUS) 2:23:08
Hayat Benhenia (MAR) 2:24:48
Soukaina Atanane (MAR) 2:24:57
Natsuki Omori (JPN) 2:25:36
Rino Goshima (JPN) 2:26:08
Sakiho Tsutsui (JPN) 2:26:51
Honoka Tanaike (JPN) 2:27:30
Yuri Mitsune (JPN) 2:29:04
Kaena Takeyama (JPN) 2:29:20 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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