Marathon world record holder Keitany announces retirement

Kenya's Mary Keitany, the world record holder for a women-only marathon, announced her retirement on Wednesday at the age of 39 due to a back injury.

Keitany set the record in her third London Marathon win in 2017, finishing in a time of two hours 17 minutes and one second. Her compatriot Brigid Kosgei and Briton Paula Radcliffe are the only two women to have run a marathon quicker, having done so in mixed gender races.

Keitany said the COVID-19 pandemic had denied her the chance to receive treatment for a back injury sustained in 2019.