This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
Former London Marathon champion Mary Keitany has been nursing a hip injury since last year's London Marathon, where she finished fifth in 2:20:58.
Keitany, who is also the world record holder in a women's only marathon, sustained the injury when she competed in the London Marathon on April 28, 2019.
Despite the injury, Keitany lined up for the New York Marathon against her doctor's advice and finished second in 2:23:32.
However, the hip injury, which had been aggravated in New York, prevented her from preparing adequately for the Boston Marathon in April, forcing her to cancel her participation.
Keitany has since taken a break from training and has started easy training recently, hoping to regain her form in time for the next major marathon.
She expressed her concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on athletes, saying, 'I really feel for the athletes who had their races cancelled or rescheduled. They didn’t get the money and I’m crying for that athlete who was going for his/her first race but it was cancelled due to the virus.'
Keitany's business, Winstar Hotel in Eldoret, has also been severely affected by the pandemic, with more than 30 members of staff having been sent home on paid leave.
