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The Boston Marathon is scheduled for April 17.
Less fancied long distance runner Sheila Chepkirui headlines the field of Kenyan women who will take on a cast of high achieving Ethiopians when Boston Marathon guns off on 17th April 2023.
Chepkirui, who made her debut over the 42km distance at last year’s Valencia Marathon lines up as the second fastest in the field with a personal best time of 2:17:29. At the Valencia Marathon, she settled for third place.
This will be her second marathon and a first in the Abbott World Marathon Majors. The Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medallist kick-started her season with a second-place at the National Cross-country championships in January.
Chepkirui will enjoy the company of compatriots Joyciline Jepkosgei, Angela Tanui, Fancy Chemutai, Edna Kiplagat and Celestine Chepchirchir. Maurine Chepkemoi, Mary Ngugi, Vibian Chepkirui, Viola Cheptoo and Sharon Lokedi will also be in the mix.
Jepkosgei is the former London Marathon champion and she will be lining up with a personal best time of 2:17:43. She is the third-fastest in the field. Jepkosgei started off her season with a second-place finish at the Zurich Marathon.
New York City Marathon champion Lokedi is also one to watch when the race starts. This will be her second marathon. She lines up with a PB time of 2:23:23. Ngugi, who has a lifetime best of 2:20:22, returns to Boston after her third-place finish at last year’s event.
However, the Kenyans will not have a smooth ride in their quest of displaying remarkable results. Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso, the fastest in the field, will be keen to replicate last year’s Valencia Marathon’s performance. She won the marathon in a new course record time of 2:14:58.
Kenyan-Israeli runner Lonah Salpeter will also be in the mix. Salpeter is the World marathon bronze medallist and the 2020 Tokyo Marathon champion. She placed second at last year’s New York City Marathon and will be lining up with a PB time of 2:17:45. Salpeter placed second at the RomaOstia Half marathon on March 5.
Despite being the seventh fastest in the field, Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia is also a force to reckon with. Gebreslase is the world champion and has a personal best time of 2:18:11. She is also the 2021 Berlin Marathon champion. She opened her season with a second-place finish at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February.
With three weeks to go, the women’s race will surely be one to watch as records may be broken.
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The Boston Marathon is scheduled for April 17.
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