Evans Chebet will face stiff competition when he seeks to defend his New York City Marathon title on Sunday, November 5, 2023.

The two-time Boston Marathon champion will come up against a star-studded field when he takes to the field to defend his crown.

Challenging Chebet, who defeated Eliud Kipchoge in the Boston Marathon this year, is three-time half-marathon world champion Geoffrey Kamworor. 

Kamworor won the New York City Marathon in 2017 and 2019 and is hoping to become the third athlete to win three men’s open division titles. The New York City Marathon has been a rather good hunting zone for Kamworor, as he has made the podium in all four of his appearances.

Ethiopian competition

The Ethiopian unit will also pose a challenge to Chebet and Kamworor, as Maru Teferi and Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia will also compete.

Teferi won silver in the World Athletics Championship, while his counterparts Geremew is a two-time World silver medallist and Shura Kitata is a two-time New York City Marathon runner-up.

The Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye, an Olympic silver medallist, and former New City Marathon winner Albert Korir are also going to battle for this year’s title.

Andy Butchart is going to make his debut in the marathon. Butchart’s half-marathon best of 62:58 was set in March, and he recorded personal bests on the 5km road race: 14:04 (2021), 10–28:05 (2023), Half Marathon: 62:58 (2023)

Women’s race

Last year’s runner-up and two-time Olympian Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase are set to return.

Kenya will be represented by Edna Kiplagat and Olympian Viola Cheptoo, who are also returning, while Letesenbet Gidey and Yalemzerf Yehualaw will be making their debuts in the women’s category.

The women’s race is also promising to be a spectacle, as Sharon Lokedi, reigning Boston Marathon and New York City Half champion Hellen Obiri, Olympic gold medalist and 2021 New York City Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, and marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei will compete.

Lokedi made her debut last year and became the eighth athlete to win the race on her first try at the distance after running in a 2:23:23 finish. Since then, she has had to deal with injuries and was subsequently ruled out of the Boston Marathon.