Boston Marathon: Defending champion Chebet to lead Kenyan unit against stellar rivals

Boston Marathon defending champion Evans Chebet will face top-level opposition during this year’s race on April 15, 2024.

Among the rivals for the Kenyan will be Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma and Gabriel Geay, the runners-up in last year’s Boston Marathon.

Chebet will go into the race hoping to defend his title, having retained the trophy last year in 2:05:54, and he is, in fact, the Kenyan who has won six of his past seven marathons.

Lema conquered the Valencia race in 2:01:48, and that made him the fourth-fastest man in history. He is also the 2021 London Marathon winner and the fastest man in this year’s Boston Marathon field, which features 20 men with sub-2:10 personal bests.

Geay will carry Tanzania’s flag, and given that he has an identical personal best to Chebet, he is one of the favourites to carry the day. The identical record of 2:03:00 was set in Valencia.

Kenya’s Joshua Belet (2:04:18), Ronald Korir (2:04:22), and Cyprian Kotut (2:04:34), Ethiopians Haftu Teklu (2:04:43), and London and New York City runner-up Shura Kitata (2:04:49) are the other runners with sub-2:05 personal bests.

Albert Korir, a New York Marathon champion; Suguru Osako, a former Japanese record-holder; and Norwegian record-holder Sondre Moen are also in the field.

Zouhahir Talbi of Morocco, who was the winner of last week’s Houston Marathon in a course record of 2:06:39, and multiple NCAA champion Edward Cheserek are also entrants into this edition’s Boston Marathon.

Boston Marathon elite field

Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:01:48
Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00
Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00
Joshua Belet (KEN) 2:04:18
Ronald Korir (KEN) 2:04:22
Cyprian Kotut (KEN) 2:04:34
Haftu Teklu (ETH) 2:04:43
Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:04:49
John Korir (KEN) 2:05:01
Mohamed Esa (ETH) 2:05:05
Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:05:29
Sondre Moen (NOR) 2:05:48
Filmon Ande (ERI) 2:06:38
Zouhair Talbi (MAR) 2:06:39
Isaac Mpofu (ZIM) 2:06:48
Albert Korir (KEN) 2:06:57
Kento Otsu (JPN) 2:08:15
Ryoma Takeuchi (JPN) 2:08:40
Segundo Jami (ECU) 2:09:05
Tsegay Tuemay (ERI) 2:09:07
Matt McDonald (USA) 2:09:49
David Nilsson (SWE) 2:10:09
Tristan Woodfine (CAN) 2:10:39
CJ Albertson (USA) 2:10:52
Chris Thompson (GBR) 2:10:52
Edward Cheserek (KEN) 2:11:07
Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) debut