Defending champion Obiri leads women’s field for Boston Marathon

Organisers of the BAA Boston Marathon have announced that Hellen Obiri will defend her title at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on 15 April.

The two-time world 5000m champion is one of four past Boston winners who’ll take to the start line of this year’s race, alongside two-time champion Edna Kiplagat, 2019 winner Worknesh Degefa and 2018 victor Desiree Linden.

Obiri – the only woman in history to have won senior world titles indoors, outdoors and at cross country – made her marathon debut in New York in 2022, clocking 2:25:49.

Five months later, she won on Boston’s downhill course in 2:21:38, then triumphed in a tactical race in New York at the end of 2023 in 2:27:23.

“I am excited to return to the 2024 Boston Marathon to try to defend my title,” said Obiri, a two-time Olympic silver medallist. “Boston is a historic race and I would like to add my name further to its history on 15 April. Winning such a historic marathon with my family waiting at the finish line was an amazing experience.”

Degefa is the fastest in the field. The Ethiopian won on her marathon debut in Dubai in 2017, then regained that title in 2020, having also won in Boston in 2019 in between those races.

She didn’t compete at all in 2021 or 2022 as she had two children during that time, but she returned to action in 2023 and clocked a PB of 2:15:51 to win in Valencia.

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She’ll be joined by fellow Ethiopians Tadu Teshome and Hiwot Gebrekidan, both of whom have set sub-2:18 PBs in Valencia in recent years. Other Ethiopian women in the line-up include 2015 world 5000m silver medalist Senbere Teferi and former world half marathon record-holder Ababel Yeshaneh, a previous podium finisher in Boston, New York and Chicago.

Kiplagat, the 2017 and 2021 champion, will be making her seventh appearance at the Boston Marathon. The 44-year-old, who has a PB of 2:19:50, finished seventh at the New York Marathon two months ago.

Other leading Kenyans in the field include 2022 world marathon silver medalist Judith Korir, 2022 New York champion Sharon Lokedi, 2015 world silver medalist Helah Kiprop, and 2014 world half marathon silver medallist Mary Ngugi-Cooper.

Surprise world bronze medalist Fatima Gardadi will be making her first-ever appearance in a World Marathon Majors race. Before finishing third in Budapest last year, the Moroccan had won in Marrakech in 2022 and Rabat in 2023.

More recently, she set a PB of 2:24:12 to finish second in Xiamen earlier this month. Linden leads the US contingent, along with Emma Bates, who finished fifth last year.

Elite women’s field

Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 2:15:51

Tadu Teshome (ETH) 2:17:36

Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 2:17:59

Judith Korir (KEN) 2:18:20

Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21

Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:18:47

Worknesh Edesa (ETH) 2:18:51

Zeineba Yimer (ETH) 2:19:07

Senbere Teferi (ETH) 2:19:21

Dera Dida (ETH) 2:19:24

Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50

Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) 2:20:22

Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet (ERI) 2:20:29

Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:51

Vibian Chepkirui (KEN) 2:20:59

Helah Kiprop (KEN) 2:21:27

Buze Diriba (ETH) 2:23:11

Emma Bates (USA) 2:23:18

Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:23:23

Malindi Elmore (CAN) 2:23:30

Fatima Gardadi (MAR) 2:24:12

Angie Orjuela (COL) 2:25:35

Fabienne Konigstein (GER) 2:25:48

Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:25:49

Desiree Linden (USA) 2:25:55

Jackie Gaughan (USA) 2:27:08

Dominique Scott (RSA) 2:27:31

By World Athletics