American coach reveals secret behind Obiri's exploits at London Marathon

American athletics coach Laura Thweatt says she is moved and proud of Hellen Obiri’s performance at the London Marathon on Sunday, 26 April, when she set her new personal best in the distance.

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Obiri, on her marathon debut in the English capital, finished second in a time of 2:15.53, lowering her previous best of 2:17.41 in Boston last year by almost two minutes.

The two-time New York Marathon champion was in contention to win the race until the final kilometers, only for defending champion Tigst Assefa to produce a final kick onto The Mall, to win in a new women-only world record time of 2:15:41.

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Commenting on Obiri’s performance, Thweatt, who rounds up as her coach at the On Athletics Club (OAC) Global Coaching Team, said: “A podium finish in London is an incredible achievement, especially given the depth of this year's field and the blistering pace. This city has such a rich history for both Hellen and myself from our races here in 2017, and seeing her compete at the front of the pack today was moving.”

Known for the tough, hilly courses, Obiri began her new era of running on flatter courses on a bright note, a fact that was not lost on her coach, who ran her marathon personal best time of 2:25:38 at the same course in the aforementioned 2017 race.

“This was our first time tackling a major flat course together, and seeing her adapt, her strength to this speed was inspiring,” Thweatt, a 2015 USATF (USA Track and Field) Cross Country Champion, added of Obiri’s performance, which saw her form part of a three-woman lead pack for much of the race.

Having gone below the old women-only record, Obiri also extended her run of consecutive podium finishes in the marathon, which now stands at eight, post her 6th place finish at the New York Marathon in 2022.

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“Her consistency at the world-class level remains her greatest strength, and this second marathon block together has only deepened my respect for her,” Thweatt, who joined Obiri’s camp in June last year, said.

“I’m immensely proud of how she handled the pressure of this course—it was a spectacular effort from a truly legendary athlete.”