Former Tokyo Marathon winner Sarah Chepchirchir, has been officially banned because of abnormalities in her athlete biological passport, which is usually evidence of abusing erythropoietin

Sarah Chepchirchir has previously been a training partner of 2016 Olympic Games marathon Jemima Sumgong, her sister-in-law, who is currently serving an eight-year drugs ban, under Italian coach Federicco Rosa. 

The 35-year-old's ban has been backdated until April 11 last year and all her results from that period have been wiped from the record books.

Chepchirchir's most notable performance came in 2017, winning the Tokyo Marathon in a personal best 2 hours 19min 47sec.

She had also set a course record at the Paris 20K in 2013, covering the 20 kilometres distance in 65min 03sec.

Chepchirchir's other personal bests included 68:07 for the half-marathon and 31: 39 for 10km.

She represented Kenya only twice in major international competitions, with a best performance of fifth in the half-marathon at the 2011 All-African Games in Maputo.

Nearly 50 Kenyan athletes are currently suspended for doping offences.

The latest runners to be provisionally suspended by the AIU are Mercy Jerotich Kibarus and James Kibet.

posted Saturday December 14th
by Duncan Mackay