The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) proudly announced that world marathon record holder and two-time Olympic marathon gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge, as well as defending world marathon track and field champion Gotytom Gebreslase, will each make their debuts at the Boston Marathon in April, joining six distinguished Boston Marathon champions at the start line of the 127th Boston Marathon.
Among the Boston Marathon champions ready to run are defending winner Evans Chebet of Kenya and Desiree Linden, the most recent American Open Division champion.
The 127th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 17, 2023, Patriots Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will feature 30,000 participants.
Defending Boston Marathon Chebet champion, 2021 winner Benson Kipruto and two-time winner Lelisa Desisa (2013 and 2015) will be part of a historically deep men’s open division. Returning women’s champions include Linden (2018), Edna Kiplagat (2017) and Atsede Baysa (2016).
A running legend, Kipchoge (38) is aiming to win the six biggest marathons in the world. After Chicago (victory in 2014), London (2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019), Berlin (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022) and Tokyo (2022), he is therefore attacking Boston. In case of victory, he would only have to win that of New York.
On September 25 in Berlin, he improved his own marathon world record (from 2h01’39” to 2h01’09”), further improving his immense record following winning two Olympic titles in 2016 in Rio and in 2021 in Tokyo. Eliud Kipchoge is aiming for an unprecedented third Olympic title in Paris in 2024.
With its hilly course, the venerable Boston Marathon, contested since 1897, does not a priori lend itself to a fast time. But it can be a good test before the 2024 Olympic marathon in France, which also bristles with ups and downs.
