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The Boston Marathon champion is enjoying a brilliant season after making it three victories this year by claiming the Great Manchester 10km honours on Sunday
Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri has hinted that her next major race could be in the United States of America again later this year at either Chicago or New York City.
Obiri extended her brilliant 2023 season when she won the Great Manchester 10km run on Sunday, having shrugged off competition from Olympic champion and fellow Kenyan Peris Jepchirchir to emerge victorious in a time of 31:14.
It was her third win in Manchester and second in row, adding onto her Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon win in February as well as victory in Boston, when she shocked everyone to win in a personal best 2:21:38, and she says that victory in April gave her confidence that she is good in marathon.
“I knew the course because this is my third time running here so I said let me see how my body works after Boston Marathon and I can see that my body is ready again,” Obiri said after her win in Manchester.
“I did not hope I could run like this because I had like three weeks training, it was so good and it seemed like I was going to do well.
“I have won my races since January and I’m looking to do next marathon probably in November or December and hope to run well and in my personal best. Since winning Boston Marathon, it has given me a lot of morale and confidence which shows I am good in marathon and I will do better each day.”
With Tokyo, Boston and London already done, the Berlin Marathon, scheduled for September, will come too soon for Obiri and given her projection, Chicago (October 8) and New York (November 5) look the more realistic options as she looks to get a slice of the $250,000 (Ksh34.4 million) World Marathon Majors prize.
Obori is tied on 25 points with Tokyo Marathon winner Rosemary Wanjiru and Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, who claimed victory in London last month, and another win will put her in good stead to either win the entire prize or second place that comes with a $50,000 (Ksh6.8 million) reward.
New York is the where the two-time 5,000m world champion made her marathon debut last year, finishing a disappointing sixth, and she might be keen to return to the ‘Big Apple’ and right the wrongs of 2022.
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