Kipruto chasing title defence against stellar Boston field

Organisers have assembled what is considered the fastest field in the Boston Marathon race's history and defending champion Benson Kipruto has his work cut out.

The 31-year old goes out on an ambitious mission of clinching a second successive title in the state of Massachusetts, since Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya in 2008. Only ten men have achieved the feat. 

The race set for Monday, 18 April features eight athletes with lifetime bests faster than 2:05, led by two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese, who has a PB of 2:02:48.

Marathon titans Jepchirchir and Jepkosgei go head to head in Boston

Along with his Tokyo Marathon victories in 2019 and 2020, Legese placed second in Berlin in 2019, which is when he set his lifetime best and was third in Valencia in 2020 and fifth in London last year

Six of the past eight winners will return to Boston. In addition to Kipruto, 2019 winner Lawrence Cherono, 2018 champion Yuki Kawauchi, 2016 champion Lemi Berhanu and two-time winner Lelisa Desisa.

Kipruto, who became a professional runner in 2016, finishing the Athens Marathon, his first attempt at the distance, in second place is a 2:05.13 performer and ranks ninth on the PB list of the elite athletes in action today. 

Since his debut in 2016, he has since won three of the nine marathons he has entered, including Prague in 2021 and Toronto in 2018 where he set his personal record. 

However, PB's often count for very little when it comes to the Boston Marathon. The fact he has previously won on this course, however, counts for a lot. 

“Being back in Boston as a champion is very exciting, but at the same time I feel the pressure and the responsibility to defend my title,” said Kipruto in an interview with World Athletics.

“I really admire those athletes that managed to be multiple champions in big races. I really want to do my best to be one of them and I really hope to make my name among those Boston champions that people will remember for a long time." 

Winners of two other big city races in 2021 will also be on the start line. London Marathon champion Sisay Lemma and New York City Marathon winner Albert Korir.

Lemma, who has a PB of 2:03:36, has unfinished business in Boston. He placed 30th in 2019 and failed to finish in 2017. Korir will be making his Boston debut, but his New York victory in 2021 and runner-up finish in 2019 means he’ll be one to watch.

Three-time world half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor is also one to watch. Twice a winner in New York, he finally broke his long-standing PB in Valencia last year, clocking 2:05:23. His reputation as a proven competitor in championship-style races means he cannot be overlooked in this field

Evans Chebet, the 2020 world leader, has finished in the top four at the past 12 marathons he has completed. The only DNF of his career, however, came at the Boston Marathon in 2018, so he will be keen to make amends for that blemish on his otherwise impressive record.

Elite Men

Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:02:48

Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00

Lawrence Cherono (KEN) 2:03:04

Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:03:36

Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51

Lemi Berhanu (ETH) 2:04:33

Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 2:04:45

Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:04:55

Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:05:13

Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:05:23

Eric Kiptanui (KEN) 2:05:47

Bethwell Yegon (KEN) 2:06:14

Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:07:27

Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:03

Amanuel Mesel (ERI) 2:08:17

Tsegay Tuemay (ERI) 2:09:07

Scott Fauble (USA) 2:09:09

Colin Bennie (USA) 2:09:38

Trevor Hofbauer (CAN) 2:09:51

Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25

Ian Butler (USA) 2:09:45

Mick Iacofano (USA) 2:09:55

Jake Riley (USA) 2:10:02

Jerrell Mock (USA) 2:10:37

Jemal Yimer (ETH) 2:10:38

Matt McDonald (USA) 2:11:10

Matt Llano (USA) 2:11:14

Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:11:15

CJ Albertson (USA) 2:11:18

Additional reporting by World Athletics