Sheila Chepkirui will face Aynalem Desta and Honami Maeda when she defends her title at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon – a World Athletics Platinum Label road race – on 8 March.
A total of 10 athletes with sub-2:22 PBs feature in the entry list announced by organisers, including Eunice Chumba and Selly Chepyego Kaptich.
Kenya’s Chepkirui, the 2024 New York City Marathon champion who finished third in New York in November, won last year’s race in 2:20:40 ahead of Japan’s Sayaka Sato and Bahrain’s Chumba.
Chepkirui, who ran her PB of 2:17:29 in Valencia in 2022, now prepares to return to Nagoya, where she will renew her rivalry with Chumba and go up against Ethiopia’s Desta, who won the Amsterdam Marathon in October in 2:17:37.
Japan’s Maeda is the Asian record-holder, following her 2:18:59 runner-up finish in Osaka in 2024, while Kenya’s Kaptich ran 2:20:03 in Barcelona in 2023.
Joining them will be last year’s runner-up Sato and her compatriot Yuka Ando, the 2024 Nagoya champion, plus Spanish record-holder Majida Maayouf and Japan’s Ayuko Suzuki and Rika Kaseda. The home contenders will also be racing for qualification for the Marathon Grand Championship, Japan’s selection race for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Leading entries
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
