FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sharon Lokedi, Hellen Obiri, Peres Jepchirchir, and Brigid Kosgei
to Race 2023 TCS New York City Marathon on November 5
New York, August 9, 2023 - Defending TCS New York City Marathon champion
Sharon Lokedi, reigning Boston Marathon and United Airlines NYC Half
champion Hellen Obiri, Olympic gold medalist and 2021 TCS New York City
Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, and marathon world-record holder
Brigid Kosgei will headline the women's professional athlete field at the
2023 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5.
When the four Kenyans line up in New York, it will be the first time in
event history the reigning TCS New York City Marathon champion, Boston
Marathon champion, Olympic champion, and world-record holder line up
against each other in the TCS New York City Marathon.
Lokedi won the TCS New York City Marathon in her marathon debut last year,
pulling away in the final two miles to finish in 2:23:23 and became the
eighth athlete to win the race in their true 26.2-mile debut. In
preparation for the marathon, Lokedi had raced the United Airlines NYC Half
and the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, finishing fourth and second,
respectively, in those races.
"Last year, I came into the TCS New York City Marathon with the goal of
being in the thick of the race, and the result was better than I could have
ever hoped for," Lokedi said. "This year, I'm returning with a different
mindset, hungry to defend my title and race against the fastest women in
the world."
Obiri is a two-time Olympic medalist and seven-time world championships
individual medalist who earlier this year won the Boston Marathon in her
second-ever attempt at the distance, in addition to winning the United
Airlines NYC Half in her event debut. Obiri holds the Kenyan record for
3,000 meters and represented Kenya at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics,
earning silver medals in the 5,000 meters at both. In her marathon debut
last year in New York, she finished sixth.
"With a year of marathon experience now under my belt, a win in Boston, and
my move to the U.S., I'm coming to New York this year with more confidence
and in search of a title," Obiri said. "I'm excited to show the people of
New York what I'm capable of and that my win at the United Airlines NYC
Half in March was just the beginning."
Jepchirchir is the only athlete to have won the Olympic marathon, TCS New
York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. She is also a two-time world
championships gold medalist in the half marathon. In 2021, she won the
Tokyo Olympic marathon to claim Kenya's second consecutive gold medal in
the event. Four months later, she won the TCS New York City Marathon,
finishing in 2:22:39, the third-fastest time in event history and eight
seconds off the event record. In April 2022, in a back-and-forth race that
came down to the final mile, she fended off Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh to
take the Boston Maraton title on Boylston Street in her debut in the race
in 2:21:02. This April, she recorded another podium finish, taking third at
the TCS London Marathon.
"I was so disappointed that I couldn't defend my title in New York last
year due to an injury, and winning again in Central Park has been my main
motivation as I begin my preparations for the autumn," Jepchirchir said.
"New York is an important step in defending my Olympic gold medal next
summer in Paris, and I will do my best to make my family and my country
proud."
Kosgei is the world-record holder in the marathon and has won an Olympic
silver medal and five Abbott World Marathon Majors races; she will now make
her TCS New York City Marathon debut. In 2019, Kosgei broke Paula
Radcliffe's 16-year-old world record by 81 seconds, running 2:14:04 to win
the Chicago Marathon. It was her second Chicago Marathon victory, as she'd
also won in 2018. Additionally, she won back-to-back London Marathons in
2019 and 2020, the Tokyo Marathon in 2022, and the silver medal at the
Tokyo Olympic marathon.
"I am very excited to make my New York City debut this fall, and attempt to
win my fourth different Major," Kosgei said. "I am not worried about the
course, as I have had success in hilly marathons before, but New York has
always been about head-to-head competition, and I know I must be in the
best possible shape to compete with the other women in the race."
The 2023 TCS New York City Marathon women's professional athlete field is
presented by Mastercard®. The full professional athlete fields will be
announced at a later date.
The 2023 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5 will have 50,000
runners and be televised live on WABC-TV Channel 7 in the New York tristate
area, throughout the rest of the nation on ESPN2, and around the world by
various international broadcasters.
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
NYRR's mission is to help and inspire people through running. Since 1958,
New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world's
premier community running organization. NYRR's commitment to New York
City's five boroughs features races, virtual races, community events, free
youth running initiatives and school programs, the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring
the New Balance Run Hub, and training resources that provide hundreds of
thousands of people each year with the motivation, know-how, and
opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR's premier event is the TCS New York City
Marathon. Held annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features
a wide population of runners, from the world's top professional athletes to
a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. To learn
more, visit www.nyrr.org.
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