Why Boston Marathon will be special for Chebet and Obiri

Hellen Obiri takes first place in the women's professional field during the 128th Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 15, 2024, (Photo/AFP) The 2025 Boston Marathon set for April 21 will likely be the arena for Kenyan stars, particularly Hellen Obiri and Evans Chebet, to write history. Obiri, a two-time Boston Marathon champion is gearing up for a third title in a row. And Chebet will be aiming for a third, non-consecutive victory in the Boston race. Besides setting sights on a third crown, Obiri is looking to use the April contest as another springboard to an international championship. Last year, the former track star launched her campaign to the 2024 Paris Olympics in Boston. After a superb second win in Boston last April the three-time Olympic medallist was named in the final marathon squad to Paris and went ahead to bag a bronze medal in the world's topmost competition. Kenya will be watching each stride in Obiri's race in Boston because another stunning performance will earn her ticket to the 2025 Tokyo World Championships later in the year. If she chalks up a third win, Obiri will have equaled Ethiopian Fatuma Roba's feat recorded in 1999. Apart from Fatuma Roba, American Bobbi Gibb, Sara Mae Berman (US) and Uta Pippig (Germany) have delivered three consecutive wins in Boston. According to Obiri, however, defending a title in a race of Boston stature is one of the most challenging assignments in athletics. Obiri is among strong contenders in the women's field. She will be competing alongside compatriots including two-time Boston winner Edna Kiplagat, 2012 Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop, 2022 New York Marathon winner Sharon Lokedi and Hamburg Marathon champion Irene Cheptai. At 45, the legendary Edna Kiplagat, who finished third last year is the oldest and most experienced in the field. "Defending a win is never easy, and to win the Boston Marathon twice in a row was hard, but I am happy to have done it," Obiri said recently when the stellar field was unveiled. The 2023 and 2024 champion went on to say: "On race day, I will again push for the win and hope to make it three in a row." Impressive marathon CVs will be on display in the 2025 competition. Viola Chepngeno, and Mary Ngugi-Cooper who have proved their toughness in road racing will also be aiming at redeeming their rewards in Boston. Cheptai has earned four medals at the World Cross Country Championships; Chepngeno won the Boston Half in 2022 while Ngugi-Cooper has five top ten finishes in Boston. Organisers said among the 20 countries represented in the professional field are Romania's Joan Melly, a past Boston 10km champion and 2:18:24 marathoner, as well as Great Britain's Calli Hauger-Thackery who finished seventh at the 2024 Berlin Marathon in 2:21:34. Kenyan big shots won't have it all their own way as she'll be up against a number of women with sub-2:20 personal bests. Trying to prevent Obiri's three-peat will be a host of global stars from 19 other countries. Ethiopia's Amane Beriso and Yalemzerf Yehualaw have the fastest lifetime bests in the field - 2:14:58 and 2:16:52, respectively. Beriso settled for a second place in 2023 and will be lining up in the 2025 Boston marathon as the reigning World champion. Also from Ethiopia are Sydney Marathon runner-up Rahma Tusa and Buze Diriba, who had placed fourth at the Boston and Chicago 42km races last year. Two-time Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet will be a man to watch during the April race. Chebet, who was third in last year's tough contest, is back, just like 2024 fourth and fifth place finishers John Korir and Albert Korir. The big question has been, will Chebet agree to represent Kenya in Tokyo if he clinches a third title in Boston? John Korir made history by winning the 2024 Chicago Marathon. He is the brother of 2012 Boston champion Wesley Korir. Cybrian Kotut and Haymanot Alew were second and third at last year's Berlin Marathon and will be injecting speed to the race, both with lifetime bests under 2:04. Another compatriot Daniel Mateiko is a 58:17 half marathoner making his Boston debut. Uganda's Victor Kiplangat, the reigning world champion, is looking to become the first from his country to win the Boston Marathon. Not to be forgotten are 2023 and 2024 Boston Half winners Abel Kipchumba and Yemane Haileselassie, cross country ace Muktar Edris who will race his first marathon. But Chebet and compatriots will have to contend with an expected strong challenge for the title from Boston Marathon defending champion Sisay Lemma. Many of Lemma's challengers last year are ready for round two of the battle in April. "I was very happy after winning the Boston Marathon last year, and in 2025 I know it will be an even bigger challenge to win again," Lemma told organizers earlier this month. The defending added: "I was unlucky, because of an injury, not to be able to participate at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and I was not completely ready at the Valencia Marathon last December, but I will be 100 percent ready in April because the Boston Marathon is a special event." Two-time Boston Marathon winner Lelisa Desisa also of Ethiopia, whose last finish in Boston came in 2019, aims to be at the front of the field. Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu enters Boston coming off a fourth-place, 2:04:38 finish at the 2024 Valencia Marathon in December.

Why Boston Marathon will be special for Chebet and Obiri

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