She ran a career best of 1:09:00 at the New York City Half Marathon, finishing as runner-up behind Caroline Rotich.[8] She took on Keitany again at the 2011 London Marathon, but was outrun by her domestic rival. Still, Kiplagat was pleased with her third-place performance as her time of 2:20:46 marked a significant personal best, improving upon her previous time by almost five minutes.[9] Kiplagat was the race favourite for the 2011 World Championships Marathon and delivered on her form, taking the women's title in a time of 2:28:43 hours. Her win did not look assured when she fell over in the last 5 km, but her teammate and eventual third placer Sharon Cherop stopped mid-race to help Kiplagat to her feet. Kiplagat, Cherop and Priscah Jeptoo made it a medal sweep for Kenya – the first time that any nation had taken all three medals at a global marathon championship.[1] She entered the Montferland Run with a slight injury and finished as runner-up to Abebech Afework.[10]
2012
She began 2012 on grass and came third at the Kenyan Cross Country Championships.[11] This was her preparation for the 2012 London Marathon, where she was the last runner to challenge eventual winner Mary Keitany and ended the race as runner-up in a personal best of 2:19:50 hours.[12] Kiplagat was selected for the Kenyan Olympic team as a result.[13] She was a comfortable winner of the New York Mini 10K in June.[14] At the 2012 London Olympics she failed to repeat her success in the British capital and managed only twentieth place in the Olympic marathon with a time of 2:27:52 hours. Six weeks later she ran at the Great North Run and had a better performance, setting a personal best of 1:07:41 hours while finishing runner-up to Tirunesh Dibaba.[15]
2013
Kiplagat finished runner-up in the London Marathon for the second consecutive year, on this occasion behind Priscah Jeptoo.[16]
Later in 2013 she became the first woman to retain the marathon world title when she earned the first gold medal on the opening day of the World Athletics Championships, taking victory ahead of Valeria Straneo and Kayoko Fukushi in a time of 2:25:44 hours.[17]
2014
After finishing on the podium in each of the previous three editions, Kiplagat finally claimed victory at the London Marathon ahead of (unrelated) compatriot Florence Kiplagat in a time of 2:20:21 hours.[18]
2016 saw Kiplagat return to the Top 3 of major races with significantly faster finishing times than just one year prior. She finished in 2:22:36 hours for 3rd place at the 2016 Tokyo Marathon, and in 2:23:28 hours for 2nd place at the 2016 Chicago Marathon.[19]
This victory was her debut Boston Marathon after over a decade of exceptional running. "I have done almost everything in our sport, but it was one of my dreams to run Boston, the world's oldest marathon," says Kiplagat. "And it will also mean I have run five of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors in addition to both the Olympic Games and World Championships."[19]
Kiplagat competed in the 2021 Boston Marathon, which had been moved to the Columbus Day holiday in October, less than one month before her 42nd birthday. She was declared the winner after compatriot Diana Kipyokei, who finished ahead of her by 24 seconds, was disqualified for use of a performance-enhancing corticosteroid. Kiplagat was retroactively elevated to first place.[23][24] Her victory made her the oldest runner, either male or female, to have won a World Marathon Major event. At the time of her win, she was more than three years older than the previous female recordholder, Constantina Diță.
Kiplagat hails from Iten, Kenya, and trained as a police officer.
"I am one of the role models in my town and country," says Kiplagat. "I have mentored girls in school and I have empowered women to form community associations. I also support less fortunate kids to pay their school fees."[19]
Kiplagat and her husband have five children – two of her own, two adopted from her sister who died of breast cancer in 2003, and one adopted from a neighbor who died in childbirth in 2013. Her children Wendy and Carlos were at the finish line and award ceremony for her victory in the 121st annual Boston Marathon.[25]
They live in Longmont Colorado.
She started the Edna Kiplagat Foundation to raise awareness of breast cancer.[26] Kiplagat also volunteers to create awareness for garbage management toward keeping a clean environment.[19]