Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui broke away around the 36-kilometer mark and cruised to the win at the Nagoya Women's Marathon in Japan on Sunday.

Chepkirui clocked 2 hours, 20 minutes and 40 seconds.

Erratic pacing early saw the first and second groups only seconds apart for much of the first half of the race, the top group slower than planned and the 2nd group a bit ahead of schedule.

"I feel so great," Chepkirui said. "I want to thank God for good health and the energy he has enabled me to finish (first). My strength comes from the training and positive mind."

Japan's Sayaka Sato finished second in 2:20:59 in the last of the host nation's three selection races for the women's marathon at the world athletics championships to be held in Tokyo in September.

Sato looks all but certain to make her second straight world championships appearance as her time was the fastest among Japanese runners who ran under the World Athletics' qualifying standard of 2:23:30 in the selection races.

Yuka Ando has qualified for the worlds after she finished first in the points-based Japan Marathon Championship rankings.

Up to three Japanese runners will be selected for each of the men's and women's marathons.

Bahrain's Eunice Chebichii Chumba, the 2023 Asian Games marathon winner, was third in 2:21:35.

The race started and ended at Vantelin Dome Nagoya.

The Nagoya women’s marathon is the highest paying road race in the world with prize money of $250,000 (Approximately Ksh32,000,000).