Chepkirui Aims for Back-to-Back Victories at Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui will defend her title at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon on March 8, 2026, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race. The event, coinciding with International Women’s Day, is recognized as the world’s largest women-only marathon.

Elite Field Set to Compete

Chepkirui, the 2024 Latest York City Marathon champion and third-place finisher in New York in November, faces strong competition from Ethiopia’s Aynalem Desta and Japan’s Honami Maeda. A total of ten athletes with personal bests under 2:22 are entered in the race.

Key Contenders

• Sheila Chepkirui (KEN): 2:17:29 (Valencia, 2022)
• Aynalem Desta (ETH): 2:17:37 (Amsterdam, October 2025)
• Honami Maeda (JPN): 2:18:59 (Osaka, 2024)
• Eunice Chumba (BRN): 2:20:02
• Selly Chepyego Kaptich (KEN): 2:20:03 (Barcelona, 2023)
• 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
• Natsuki Omori (JPN): 2:25:36
• Rino Goshima (JPN): 2:26:08
• Sakiho Tsutsui (JPN): 2:26:51
• Honoka Tanaike (JPN): 2:27:30
• Yuri Mitsune (JPN): 2:29:04
• Kaena Takeyama (JPN): 2:29:20

Returning Faces and Olympic Aspirations

Sayaka Sato and Eunice Chumba, who finished second and third respectively behind Chepkirui in the 2025 Nagoya Women’s Marathon, will also compete. Several Japanese athletes, including Yuka Ando, Ayuko Suzuki, and Rika Kaseda, are also vying for a spot at the Marathon Grand Championship, Japan’s selection race for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Chepkirui’s Recent Successes

Chepkirui secured her Nagoya Women’s Marathon victory in 2025 with a time of 2:20:40. She also won the New York City Marathon in 2024 and finished second in Berlin in 2023. Her personal best of 2:17:29, set in Valencia in 2022, positions her as the top entrant in this year’s race.

Desta and Maeda’s Credentials

Aynalem Desta comes close to Chepkirui’s personal best with a time of 2:17:37, achieved at the Amsterdam Marathon in October. Honami Maeda, the Asian record-holder, ran 2:18:59 at the Osaka Marathon in 2024.