World champion Peres Jepchirchir has officially withdrawn from this month's London Marathon. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist revealed she is struggling after being diagnosed with an unspecified stress fracture following her second-place finish in Valencia last December. This injury severely hampered her preparation for the major spring event.

Jepchirchir’s withdrawal compounds problems for the elite women’s field. She set the women’s-only world record at the 2024 London Marathon, clocking an astonishing two hours 16 minutes and 16 seconds. The Kenyan runner stated training resumed too late in January for her to reach the necessary competitive standard.

Race organisers are now dealing with another major absence, as Sifan Hassan had already pulled out earlier this month. Hassan, the reigning Olympic champion, cited an Achilles injury as the reason for missing the April 26th race. Both withdrawals drastically alter expectations for the top finish.

Missing London marks the second consecutive year Jepchirchir has been sidelined from the race; she skipped the 2023 edition due to an ankle issue. Her absence leaves a significant gap in the field after defending her 2024 title was anticipated.