Peres Jepchirchir 'not ready' to attack world record at Valencia Marathon

Fresh from her golden run at the 2025 Tokyo world championship where she added the world title to the Olympic crown she won in 2021 Jepchirchir told Citizen Digital that Valencia might not be the stage for a world record chase.

Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa currently holds the women-only marathon world record after her stunning 2:15:50 run at the 2025 London Marathon, breaking Jepchirchir’s former mark by 26 seconds. But Jepchirchir remains steady and grounded.

“My preparation is good. I don’t have any plan for a world record in Valencia,” she replied when we asked about a possible attack.

It is an interesting twist, especially after her dominant Tokyo performance where she openly spoke about reclaiming the world record.

Jepchirchir has done it before in 2024 when she broke the women-only world record at the London Marathon with a time of 2:16:16, taking down Mary Keitany’s long-standing mark of 2:17:01.

Since 2021, she has also collected major wins in New York, Boston, and London, plus a memorable Valencia victory in 2020 where she clocked 2:17:16.

In Valencia, she headlines a clash of world beaters that has Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso, the 2023 world champion.

Beriso has history on this course her PB of 2:14:58 remaining the Valencia course record. She has been consistent too, finishing podium in Boston and Tokyo before placing fifth at both the Paris Olympics and the 2024 Boston Marathon.

The line-up also includes Joyciline Jepkosgei, another member of the exclusive 2:16 club. Jepkosgei ran 2:16:24 to finish third behind Jepchirchir in London last year and has major wins in London (2021) and New York (2019). She was also second in Valencia in 2020.