2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's marathon

The Women's marathon at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held starting and finishing at Gukchae – bosang Memorial Park on 27 August.

Her compatriot Priscah Jeptoo (2011 Paris champion) and Aselefech Mergia of Ethiopia (winner in Dubai) completed the three fastest athletes to start the race.

[4] Bezunesh Bekele crossed the line for fourth place seven seconds later and Japan's Yukiko Akaba completed the top five.

[1][5] The competition also served as the IAAF World Marathon Cup team race, which was decided by totalling the times of each nation's three fastest runners.

This result represented the first time that the Japanese women had failed to win a team medal, since the competition was incorporated at the 1997 World Championships.