Hellen Obiri seeking repeat title in Boston

Hellen Obiri is out to defend her Boston Marathon title against a formidable field in the race slated for Monday 15 April.

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, a time that remains her official PB as performances in Boston are not record-eligible. 

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.

She heads to Boston as the favourite but is faced with a herculean task as this year’s race features nine women with sub-2:20 personal bests, the most in Boston history and the second-most of any marathon ever, behind the 2023 London Marathon which had 10. 

"This year's race is tougher and I am under more pressure as all eyes are on me as the defending champion. I am, however, well prepared ready to have another title. I will give my best and see what happens," Obiri who is looking to become a repeat winner in Boston, a feat that hasn't been achieved in 19 years, said. 

Her only race so far this year came in January at the Houston Half Marathon, where she finished second in 1:06:07. Having won her past two marathons, the two-time world 5000m champion will be keen to make it three in a row on Monday.

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Ethiopia’s Tadu Teshome and Hiwot Gebrekidan are the fastest women in the field, having both set sub-2:18 PBs in Valencia in recent years.

Teshome’s last race was at the Shanghai Marathon in November, where she finished sixth in 2:25:05 – some way down on her 2:17:36 PB from Valencia one year prior. Gebrekidan was eighth in Boston last year, then went on to finish third in Valencia in a PB of 2:17:59.

Other Ethiopian women in the line-up include 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Senbere Teferi and former world half marathon record-holder Ababel Yeshaneh, a previous podium finisher in Boston, New York and Chicago.

Obiri is one of four past Boston winners who’ll take to the startline in the women’s race, alongside two-time champion Edna Kiplagat, 2015 winner Caroline Rotich and 2018 victor Desiree Linden.

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 last year’s New York Marathon.

Other leading Kenyans in the field include 2022 world marathon silver medalist Judith Korir, 2022 New York champion Sharon Lokedi, 2015 world silver medallist 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. She set a PB of 2:24:12 to finish second in Xiamen earlier this year.

Linden and Rotich feature in a US contingent that also includes Sara Hall, Emma Bates – who finished fifth last year – and Jenny Simpson.

Simpson, the 2011 world 1500m champion, made her marathon debut at the US Olympic Trials in February but did not finish, so she was keen to put her newfound endurance fitness towards another race.

Additional information by World Athletics