2015 TCS New York City Marathon - Women's Preview

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2015 TCS New York City Marathon Women's Preview and Starter List

See Also: Starter List (bottom of page)

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun Mary Keitany Holds the Women's Personal Best

It seems more and more difficult to put together a strong and deep women's field at the very top levels of the sport, but the New York City Marathon always succeeds. The 2015 marathon will feature three women who have broken 2:20 in the marathon (although the chance of doing that in New York is slim), and eleven women who have run sub-2:25 all of whom could be contenders for the win or at least a spot on the podium.

Mary Keitany is the returning champ and the second fastest female marathoner of all time behind Paula Radcliffe, excluding drug cheat Rito Jeptoo. Earlier this year, she finished second at the London Marathon, has a world leading 66:02 from the RAK Half-Marathon in February, and has shown good form lately by winning the Great North Run in 1:07:32. Although she looks tough to beat on paper, there's several other women in the field that could ruin her attempt at defending her title.

Although Tigist Tufa placed sixth at the World Championships marathon, Tufa won the London Marathon over Keitany. If she's recovered well from the World Championships in Bejing, she has shown the ability to defeat Mary Keitany before. Although Aselefech Mergia placed fourth at the London Marathon behind both Tufa and Keitany, Megia won the Dubai Marathon in 2:20:02 in January and should not be overlooked, especially with a personal best time faster than 2:20. Another contender with a personal best time under 2:20, Buzunesh Deba was third at the Boston Marathon in April. Priscah Jeptoo, won the 2013 London Marathon and has a personal best half-marathon of 65:45, and 2015 Boston Marathon Champion Caroline Rotich round out the field of likely contenders.

There is a distinct lack of toperican female athletes in the elite field in the 2015 TCS NYC Marathon due to the fact that the USA's Olympic Marathon Trials will be held in mid-February just 3-1/2 months after this marathon. One interesting debut marathon will come from Laura Thweatt, the 2015 USA Cross Country Champion. Thweat won the Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon on a hot and humid day in 1:12:59 and is looking to place high at the NYC Marathon before turning her attention to the Olympic Trials on the track. The other elite femaleerican athlete in the field is 18-year old Alana Hadley who comes to NYC with a 2:38 marathon personal best. Although too young to qualify for the Olympics, Hadley could make a statement with a high finish here in New York City.

Female Elite Athletes
Athlete	Country	Personal Best	NYC
Mary Keitany	KEN	2:18:37, London, 2012	History
Aselefech Mergia	ETH	2:19:31, Dubai, 2012	History
Buzunesh Deba	ETH	2:19:59, Boston, 2014	History
Priscah Jeptoo	KEN	2:20:14, London, 2012	History
Tigist Tufa	ETH	2:21:52, Shanghai, 2014	History
Sally Kipyego	KEN	Debut	History
Jelena Prokopcuka	LAT	2:22:56, Osaka, 2005	History
Caroline Rotich	KEN	2:23:22, Chicago, 2012	History
Caroline Rotich	KEN	2:23:22, Chicago, 2012	History
Helah Kiprop	KEN	2:24:03, Tokyo, 2015	History
Christelle Daunay	FRA	2:24:22, Paris, 2010	History
Sara Moreira	POR	2:24:49, Prague, 2015	History
Ana Dulce Felix	POR	2:25:15, London, 2015	History
Anna Incerti	ITA	2:25:32, Berlin, 2011	History
Marisol Romero	MEX	2:31:15, Torreon, 2012	History
Laura Thweatt	USA	Debut	History
Alana Hadley	USA	2:38:34, Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, 2014	History