Keitany chases third title

Having won three road races since returning from maternity break, Mary Keitany says she has maintained the form which earned her victory in the ING New York Marathon last November as she eyes a third gold medal at the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday.

The 33-year-old old former world half marathon record holder won the London Marathon in 2011, in a then personal best of 2hours,19.19secs, and shed off about 40 seconds of her fastest time when she retained the title following year, setting the African and Kenyan national women’s marathon record of 2.18.37.

“I came back from maternity leave and won three races, including New York Marathon which is in the World Marathon Majors. The victory, coming in such a short period, gives me courage that my plan for a third title is alive,” Keitany said.

On her comeback last year, Keitany set the Ottawa 10km course record of 31.22 minutes in May and stretched her form to take the Great North Run title in September.

She closed the season by winning the New York Marathon though was about six minutes slower than her personal best.

Keitany, the fastest of the elite women lined up, acknowledges that the London Marathon, which is the oldest marathon making the six most competitive and lucrative big city races, has assembled the fastest athletes this year.

“I think it (London Marathon) has the fastest women in the startlist this year. It will not be easy, having eight women with sub 2.20 and fast, it is quite competitive,” Keitany said as she finished up a 16km jog with her husband Charles Koech last week. Koech, who doubles as her coach says Keitany’s body has reacted well since the training began about four months ago.

Defending champion Edna Kiplagat has two silvers in the race, having finished second to Keitany in 2012 and to Priscah Jeptoo in 2013. Kiplagat (Edna) is the second fastest in the women’s pile with a personal best of 2:19:50 recorded in 2012.

Florence Kiplagat, the world half marathon record holder, boasts consistent podium finishes in the past two years. She outpaced world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe to set her PB of 2:19:44 in Berlin Marathon in 2011. She was second to her neighbor Edna in London Marathon last year and will be making a third show in the English capital race.

The 2013 winner Jeptoo is back from a nagging knee injury which kept her out of the race last year. Jeptoo, winner of the 2012/2013 World Marathon Majors, has a personal best of 2:20:14 in the course in 2013.

She was third in the 2012 race in a 1-2-3-4 Kenyan sweep. New York Marathon silver medalist Jemimah Sumgong is in the mix which has Ethiopians Tirfi Tsegaye (2:20:81) and Feyse Tadese (2:20:27).