Evans Chebet opens up on Olympics dream

"I am ready if the call comes." 

These are the sentiments of reigning Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet, currently preparing for a title defense in the race set for 15 April. 

Chebet who was snubbed as Athletics Kenya (AK) named a provisional marathon squad for the Paris Olympics was responding to 'word on the street' that he is likely to replace the departed Kelvin Kiptum. 

"I have not received any communication on that. Just like everyone else I am seeing such on social media," Chebet told Mozzart Sport adding that his focus is on his upcoming Boston race but should AK come calling he would be ready as the Games are a dream for him. 

It came as a surprise, at the time, when the two-time Boston Marathon champion who has won six of his past seven marathons was left out of the provisional squad that was headlined by the world record holder, late Kiptum, Olympic back-to-back champion Eliud Kipchoge who will be gunning for a record third gold in Paris, among others. 

The 27-year-old Kenyan who, unlike many, did not start his career on track is yet to represent the country despite an impressive CV that could be traced back to 2011 when he plunged into the word of road running. 

In 2011, he participated in his first international race - a 10-miler (15km) in Gargano, Italy - where he finished second. 

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He then transitioned to marathons, finishing sixth in a race in Seoul two years later, which marked the beginning of his marathon career.

Impressively, Chebet finished in the top six in ten races before winning the 2019 Buenos Aires Marathon.

At his first World Marathon Major Series race in Berlin in 2016, Chebet finished on the podium behind two long-distance heavyweights: Kenenisa Bekele, whose winning time of 2:03:03 was the second-fastest time in history, and a former world record holder, Wilson Kipsang.

Four years later, he finally achieved victory in dominant fashion, leading a Kenyan sweep of the podium positions, at Boston Marathon in 2022, with his course record of 2:03:00.

This win marked Chebet's breakthrough into the marathon spotlight. 

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He beat the 2019 winner Lawrence Cherono and upstaging the defending champion Benson Kipruto, who is also his training partner.

He then successfully defended his title, last year, beating a stacked field, including double Olympic champion Kipchoge, in rainy conditions.

Chebet's back-to-back victories made him the first man to achieve this feat since his compatriot Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot won three in a row from 2006 to 2008.

After winning Boston, Chebet’s greatest desire was to finally don his national team kit.

But Kenyan selectors overlooked him when they picked the team for the 2022 World Athletics Championships for Eugene.

That influenced his decision to enter the New York Marathon in the autumn of 2022.

“Of course, not everyone follows the same path. Until recently or even now to be honest, my name doesn’t mean a lot to many people. I have had to work really hard to be where I am, proving doubters wrong at every turn I make. I think there’s no shame in taking a delayed route to greatness,” he said in an interview with People Daily after winning New York.

“I am not a big name so I will not bulldoze myself to the team, but now I feel on merit I should be considered for the next year’s (2023) World Championships and maybe the 2024 Paris Olympic Games,” he added.

Additional information by Olympics.com