Thai woman sets new record at London Marathon

A woman from Thailand who ran the London Marathon in the UK yesterday set a unique new Guinness World Record for “the fastest marathon dressed in Thai traditional dress.”

The marathon runner, Shrinya “Dr Miyu” Kanchanasewi, is a 33 year old dentist based at Chao Phraya Hospital with a passion for running.

Dr Miyu posted a photo on Facebook holding a certificate from Guinness World Records, a UK reference book recording human achievements since 1955.

In the photo, Dr Miyu is dressed in a Thai traditional outfit comprised of a sbai (silk breast wrapper), a chong kraben (traditional Thai lower body garment), and a chadaa (traditional Thai headdress). Her running trainers are the only non-traditional Thai element of her outfit.

The dentist explained that people who enter the London Marathon with “fancy” outfits can submit a request to get into the Guinness World Records. Dr Miyu completed the 41 kilometre race in three hours and 45 minutes.

Dr Miyu explained that she was inspired to run the London Marathon in a traditional Thai costume to promote Thai culture, fashion, and fabric – which she called Thailand’s “soft power.”

Yesterday’s women’s race was won by Sifan Hissan, a two-time Olympian on the track who has never run a marathon before.

Safan, a former refugee who left Ethiopia for the Netherlands at 15 years old, was limping and struggling with a hip injury not long into the race.

Even Britain’s marathon champion Paula Radcliffe said…

“She needs to stop.” But Hassan kept going and won the race in just two hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds.

The 30 year old winner said…

“It was just amazing. I never thought I would finish a marathon and here I am winning it.”

The men’s marathon was won by 23 year old Kelvin Kiptum from Kenya who completed the race in two hours, one minute and 25 seconds – missing Kipchoge’s world record by just 16 seconds.