Kirui, Kiplagat lead Kenyan cast at Boston Marathon

A strong cast of Kenyan athletes will be seeking top honours during the 125th edition of Boston Marathon on Monday. 

The race was postponed last year due to Covid-19 pandemic and was again pushed to October from the traditional April. It will start at 2.30pm local time. 

This will be the fourth Abott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) to be held after Berlin Marathon, London Marathon and Chicago Marathon.

Thirteen women in the start list boasts sub 2:23 Personal Best times and 12 men have PBs of under 2:07. 

Kenyans will also be seeking to shine in the race after a long break. During the 2019 edition, Lawrence Cherono won in 2:07:57 ahead of Ethiopia’s Lesisa Desisa who timed 2:07:59 while Kenneth Kipkemoi was third in 2:08:07.

Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa won the women’s race after clocking 2:23:31 ahead of Edna Kiplagat who timed 2:24:13 while Jordan Harsay from USA emerged third in 2:25:20.

This year, a new champion is expected to be crowned in the men's race after Cherono opted to compete in Valencia Marathon in December.

Two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat is the fastest in the women category with a personal best time of 2:19:50 and she will be going for the top prize.

Kiplagat won the Boston Marathon in 2017 before finishing second in the 2019 edition behind Degefa. She went on to finish fourth in that year’s World Athletics Championships in Doha, which was her last marathon.

Speaking to Nation Sport from Boston, Kiplagat said that it has been a long journey for her to compete in Boston on Monday.

She was in the start list for last year's race and almost through with her programme when the pandemic struck bringing sports to a halt.

This forced her to continue training in Boulder, Colorado where she resides just to keep fit. She admits it's difficult for an athlete to take a break and then start training afresh. 

“I had finished my programme last year and was just fine-tuning waiting for the race in April before the pandemic struck and everything literally stopped. It was hard because as an athlete I depend on races. I’m happy the races are back and I will be eyeing a podium finish,” said Kiplagat who confessed that the Boston course is always tough.

She will be joined by other Kenyan athletes who include 2016 Tokyo Marathon champion Hela Kiprop (2:21:27), Diana Chemutai (2:22:06), 2015 Boston Marathon winner Caroline Rotich (2:23:22), 2016 Ljubljana Marathon champion Purity Changwony (2:22:46), Mary Ngugi (2:27:36) and Monica Ngige who will be making her debut in the marathon.

The Kenyans will be competing against Ethiopians Mare Dibaba (2:19:52), Workenesh Edesa (2:20:24), Sutume Kebede (2:20:30), Atsede Baysa (2:22:03), Biruktayit Eshetu (2:22:40), Tigist Abayechew (2:22:45) and Netsanet Gudeta (2:29:15).

Kiprop, who trains in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, wants to perform well in her sixth major marathon on Monday.

“I participated in the Eldoret City Marathon in June where I did not finish, my target was just to gauge how my body reacts. I've worked on my weaknesses and I'm looking forward to a good race,” said Kiprop. 

The men’s team consist of Benson Kipruto who has a personal best time of 2:05:13, Wilson Chebet (2:05:27), Filex Kiprotich (2:05:33), Thomas Kiplagat (2:06:00), Geoffrey Kirui (2:06:27) and debutants Nicholas Kosimbei and Leonard Barsoton.

Kirui, who won the 2017 edition, will be eyeing a second Boston title despite the rich field.