London, Sept 22 (AP) Marathon runner Mary Keitany retired from the sport on Wednesday because of a back injury, ending a career in which she won multiple races in London and New York and set the world record for a women-only race.

The 39-year-old Kenyan said pandemic-related travel restrictions have stopped her from coming to Europe to get treatment on an injury sustained in 2019.

Also Read | DC vs SRH Live Score Updates of VIVO IPL 2021: David Warner Back into Playing XI as SRH Opts to Bat (Watch Video).

"Every time I thought I had got over the injury and started training hard, it became a problem again,” Keitany said.

"So now is the time to say goodbye — if only as an elite runner — to the sport I love so much."

Also Read | Cristiano Ronaldo Overtakes Lionel Messi To Become Highest-Paid Footballer According to Forbes.

Keitany won the London Marathon three times, in 2011, '12 and '17. In her victory in 2017, she finished in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 1 second. Only two women — Brigid Kosgei and Paula Radcliffe — have run a marathon quicker and they were in races also containing male pacesetters.

World Athletics makes a distinction between the record times set by Keitany and Kosgei, who ran the Chicago Marathon in 2:14:04.

Keitany was a four-time winner of the New York City Marathon (2014-16 and '18), and also won the world half marathon title in 2009.

She said she has no specific plans for the future and is looking forward to spending more time with her family. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)