Kenya’s chances of dominating this year’s New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 5, 2023, were dealt a blow after Evans Chebet and Geoffrey Kamworor withdrew.

Kamworor confirmed his absence from the race after a recent injury case, and now even the defending champion, Chebet, will not be available, according to Olympics.com. Another elite athlete who will be missed on the New York course is Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase.

Kenya’s men representatives

With that, Kenya will have to depend on Edwin Cheserek, the most decorated athlete in the history of the marathon, and Albert Korir, who is the 2021 winner. There is a third Kenyan force: Elkanah Kibet, who finished fourth behind Korir then.

Korir, Kibet, and Cheserek will face a tough field that will consist of World Championship medalists Maru Teferi of Israel and Mosinet Geremew, both of Ethiopia, and Netherland’s Olympic silver winner Abdi Nageeye.

Geremew’s threat

Geremew is the fastest runner of the men’s entries, which also include world champion Tamirat Tola and experienced New York City racer Shura Kitata, who is a two-time runner-up in the race.

Nageeye, who was third in the last edition, will be looking for his second marathon win this year after his victory in Rotterdam.

Zouahir Talbi of Morocco, who was fifth at the 2023 Boston race and one position ahead of Eliud Kipchoge, will hope to post a strong finish, which would bring him closer to the Olympic dream that eluded him as a track runner.