Ndereba pulls out of Boston Marathon

By Mutwiri Mutuota and Agencies

As the spring marathon season kicks-off, four-time Boston Marathon women’s champion, Catherine Ndereba has pulled out of this year’s event with reported muscle tear.

Elsewhere, 2007 Rotterdam Marathon champion, Joshua Chelanga is among favoured runners for the men’s race at today’s Paris Marathon as James Kwambai leads the charge in Rotterdam.

Ndereba was in line for an unprecedented fifth female Boston crown until organisers announced on Friday she had pulled out of the running with a muscle tear. According to Associated Press, Ndereba suffered an injury to her a muscle that runs between the spine and the femur.

Earlier, she had indicated to FeverPitch her desire to triumph at the event she last participated in 2005 when she became the first and only female runner to clinch four titles at the hilly course following her victories in 2000, 2001 and 2004. The 114th Boston Marathon will be contested next Sunday with defending champion, Salina Kosgei and Ethiopian runner-up, Dire Tune set for a sequel.

Immediate focus is trained on today’s Paris Marathon, rated just outside the ‘Big Five’ of Boston, Chicago, New York, London and Berlin where organisers have assembled a quality field in the men’s race that features no less than five men who have dipped under 2:08.

According to IAAF’s website, the start list is headed by Chelanga, the 2:07:04 performer in Berlin in 2004, winner in Rotterdam in 2007 but only 14th two years later. The experienced runner who just turned 37 has had a couple of difficult seasons but seems to be ready for a comeback for this Marathon.

Compatriots James Rotich (2:07:12 PB/Amsterdam/2007), Benjamin Kiptoo (2:07:17 PB/Rome/2009), Stephen Kibiwott (2:07:54 PB/Prague/2009) and Francis Kibiwott (2:09:00/Seoul/2009) and full marathon debutant Wilson Kipsang (58:59 PB/Ras Al Khaimah/2010) complete the Kenyan battalion in the men’s race.

Kwambai, the joint third fastest marathoner of all time is the favourite in Rotterdam that also run’s today with compatriot Vincent Kipruto installed as his main rival.

Athletics website, letsrun.com however, focuses on a few promising debutants that could end up as the quickest marathon first timers of all time at the event.

Bernard Kipyego or Jonathan Maiyo are tipped to clinch the honour currently on the head of Evans Ruto, who debuted the distance with 2:05:50.

Kipyego, 23, was very impressive at last year’s Half Marathon in Rotterdam finishing fourth in 59:10.