Boston: It’s time

By mitchpa on April 14, 2023 • ( 2 )

by Clay Shaw
Photography by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

The world’s most historic marathon will have the world’s fastest marathoner in a stellar pro field. Monday’s Boston Marathon, the 127th running, will feature 2:01:09 world record holder Eliud Kipchoge. Kipchoge has been quoted as saying, “Boston has been in front of my mind for all of my career.”

For Kipchoge to win, he will need to beat the past two champions: Evans Chebet, the 2022 champ, and Benson Kipruto, the 2021 champion. Shura Kitata of Ethiopia, the 2020 London champ, and Albert Korir of Kenya, the 2021 NYC Marathon champ, are also in deep men’s field. Gabriel Geay of Tanzania, who was fourth in Boston 2022 recently ran a PB of 2:03:00 in Valencia, Spain. Conner Mantz of Utah who ran 2:08:16 in his marathon debut in the 2022 Chicago Marathon is in the mix with fellow Americans Scott Fauble of Arizona, who was seventh in Boston 2022 and top USA, and CJ Albertson of California.

The women’s field is loaded, too, with two-time Boston Champ (2017 and 2021) Edna Kiplagat, 2018 champion Des Linden of Michigan, 2022 Boston podium placers Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia and Mary Ngugi of Kenya, who were second and third.

Seven sub-2:20 women are entered: Amane Beriso of Ethiopia who has a 2:14:58 PB; Joyciline Jepkosgei and Angela Tanui of Kenya; 2022 Oregon World Champs winner Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia, Hiwot Gebremaryam also of Ethiopia, and Lonah Salpeter of Israel make up the sub 2:20 runners along with Edna Kiplagat.

Nell Rojas of Colorado has been top USA runner in the past two Boston Marathons. Sara Hall of Flagstaff, AZ who is now a master, 2020 US Olympic Trials winner Aliphine Tuliamuk, also of Flagstaff, AZ, and Emma Bates of Colorado who said her training has been going very well, “I’m above and beyond what I’ve done in the past.”

Manuel Schar of Switzerland and Daniel Romanchuk of Mt. Airy, Maryland are back to defend their 2022 wheelchair division titles. It won’t be easy, as Marcel Hug of Switzerland, the “Silver Bullet,” won five previous Boston Marathons. 10-time champ Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa is 50 now and doing his last Boston Marathon. Susannah Scaroni of Illinois is in the mix along with Madison De Rozario of Australia.