Hellen Obiri willing to sacrifice World Championships place to younger athletes

Two-time Olympic silver-medalist Hellen Obiri says she is willing to give up a chance at being in this year’s World Athletics Championships, even as she plans to attack the road later this year.

Obiri, 35, recently competed at the 2025 Boston Marathon, where her plans of claiming a three-peat were curtailed in a second-place finish behind fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi.

Sharon Lokedi's last kick earns her a record, halting Hellen Obiri's dominance

Obiri, who trains with On Athletics Club, however ended up setting her personal best time on the road, timing 2:17.41.

Speaking on her performance, Obiri told the press at the National Olympic Committee Annual General Meeting that “her body failed.”

She said: “Boston was great, the weather was good, and we ran well. Of course, I was expecting a third title, but sometimes you can’t force things to happen.

I thank God that Sharon won. She is my friend and I respect her a lot. When we have competitions we try to help each other.

In Boston we tried to help each other [with Sharon] but my body failed. All in all I am extremely happy that a Kenyan won.”

Having represented Kenya on the road for the first time last year at the Paris Olympics, there was, and remains an expectation that Obiri will form part of the marathon team that will don the national colors in Tokyo this September.

Paris Olympics: Hellen Obiri considering 2024 as last shot to deliver gold

Responding to plans of running at the World Championships, Obiri, however, said: “It’s only right to give the young athletes a chance to shine at the World Championships.

I already have gold from the global event, so I am ready and willing to give my chance to a younger athlete.”

One of Kenya’s decorated athletes, Obiri holds two 5000m gold medals in the global event - winning back-to-back in one in 2017 and 2019.

“I will be going back to the US to have some time with my family and begin my training towards other races,” she said.

On what race it would be, she added: “I’m taking a short break, then in two weeks, I’ll resume training. We will sit down and map out the next races.”