4-time world champion Vivian Cheruiyot plans to retire from athletics within the subsequent two years after an illustrious profession on the prime.
Cheruiyot says time isn’t on her facet at the same time as she hopes to run in quite a few marathons earlier than calling it a day.
“I wish to run in quite a few races within the subsequent two years or so though time isn’t on my facet. After that, I’ll simply hold up my sneakers after which calm down,” the 41-year-old stated.
Cheruiyot has cemented her identify as one in all Kenya’s most profitable feminine runners, boasting a quadruple of world crowns — Berlin 2009 (5000m), Daegu 2011 (5000m and 10,000m), and Beijing 2015 (5000m).
She additionally etched her identify in Kenyan athletics folklore when she clocked 14:26.17 within the girls’s 5000m to win the Olympic title in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro — a feat that remained unbroken by another Kenyan till Beatrice Chebet romped to victory ultimately yr’s video games in Paris.
Having been out of motion for shut to 3 years (2020-2023) attributable to motherhood, Cheruiyot has returned to athletics with a renewed vigour.
A 3rd place end ultimately yr’s New York Marathon bore witness to the truth that class is ceaselessly so far as her expertise is anxious.
She continued her resurgence with a fifth-place end ultimately Sunday’s London Marathon, clocking 2:22:32.
It was a end result that delighted her contemplating she was a last-minute invitation to the race following the withdrawal of final yr’s winner Peres Jepchirchir and world document holder Ruth Chepng’etich.
“I’m very pleased with my efficiency. I bought this opportunity to return to London on the final minute and I wish to thank the organisers for this chance. I’m happy with myself…to be in fifth place is a extremely good end result. I’ve performed quite a bit,” the 2018 London Marathon champion stated.
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She added: “I used to be truly making ready for the Hamburg Marathon however then I bought a name inviting me for London and so I made a decision to shelve my plans to run in Germany. I’m happy with my end right now.”
The 2011 World Cross Nation champion additional admitted she was tactical and sensible about her capabilities within the race.
“I wished to remain within the second group as a result of I believe the primary group they have been attempting to run 2:15. For me, I might solely do 2:18 so I stayed with the second group in order that I might end sturdy. I did not wish to push from the beginning as a result of their tempo was too quick for me,” she stated.
Sunday’s race was Cheruiyot’s second this yr, having run on the Lisbon Half Marathon, final month, the place she clocked 1:09:27 to complete ninth.
