Kenyans Sharon Lokedi and John Korir return to the streets of Boston on Monday evening with one goal: defending their last year’s title during the 130th edition of the Boston Marathon.
Lokedi, who won last year’s with a new course record of 2:17:22, will lead other Kenyans, including Irene Cheptai, who brags of 2:17:51, a time she set when she finished 3rd at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
Other Kenyans on the start list are Loice Chemnung and Mary Ngugi Cooper, who finished 4th and 5th, respectively, in last year’s Chicago Marathon, and Mary Chelangat.
The Kenyan ladies will face stiff competition from three Ethiopians led by 2025 Ottawa Marathon champion Workenesh Edesa, Bedatu Hirpa and Fikirte Woleta, among other strong contestants from Japan and the USA.
Fresh from winning the 10km race at this year’s Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour in February, John Korir enters today’s start list as the 2nd fastest athlete with 2:02:24, he set in last year’s Valencia marathon.
The man from Chereng’ani has the toughest assignment today of beating the fastest man in the field, his compatriot Benson Kipruto, who brags of 2:02:16, the time he attained when he won the 2024 Tokyo Marathon.
Other Kenyans in the star-studded field include Cybrian Kotut, Alex Masai, Bernard Biwott and Kennedy Kimutai.
The Kenyans will have to fend off stiff competition from Ethiopians, including Melkesa Mengesha, Lemi Berhabnu, Hailemaryam Kiros and Mohamed Esa, as well as the reigning World Marathon champion Felix Simbu of Tanzania.
The Boston Marathon is the 2nd stop of the 7 Abbott World Marathon Majors after last month’s Tokyo Marathon.
