SAPPORO, JAPAN — Peres Jepchirchir led a 1-2 Kenyan finish in the women’s marathon, withstanding the heat and humidity while running through the streets of Sapporo.
Jepchirchir crossed the line in a winning time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, 20 seconds Saturday in a race moved up an hour to avoid the heat. A smattering of fans lining the course applauded as the Tokyo Games went north for the marathons and race walks. Her teammate Brigid Kosgei was second and American Molly Seidel, a relative newcomer to the marathon stage, took home the bronze.
A race that was moved to Sapporo to avoid the extreme heat and humidity in Tokyo found little relief on a winding course through the city.