The 35-year-old ran a personal best of 2:22:38 to finish second in the south of Spain behind Ethiopia's Azmera Gebru. After the race, she gave a urine sample which tested positive for 5alpha-Adiol and 5beta-Adiol, both metabolites of the prohibited substance testosterone. In late April, she won the Santiago Marathon in Chile which was not recognised by World Athletics.

Chepkoech was also suspended for two years in 2015 after testing positive following a 10km road race in Angola. As she admitted to the second doping infraction, her period of ineligibility was reduced from eight years to seven.

This is just one of a long line of doping cases involving Kenyan athletes with the likes of former world 10,000m bronze medallist Rhonex Kipruto, Boston and Chicago Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono, and 2019 Boston winner Diana Kipyokei all currently serving suspensions.