Cherono, Degefa to defend Boston titles

The Boston Marathon title holders Lawrence Cherono and Worknesh Degefa will return to defend their crowns at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on April 20.

Organisers have announced a deep women’s field that contains 12 athletes with PBs faster than 2:23 and five runners with sub-2:20 bests led by Ethiopian record-holder Degefa.

She will face four other past winners of the Boston Marathon: USA’s 2018 champion Desiree Linden, two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, 2015 victor Caroline Rotich, and Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Deba, who set the course record in 2014.

Four-time New York and London winner Mary Keitany had accepted an invitation to run in Boston, but she is currently sidelined with a back injury.

With 10 men holding personal best times inside 2:07, and most having competed against each other in championship events, the race up front should prove competitive on the challenging Boston course.

Defending champion Cherono, who also won in Chicago last year, will face three other past Boston champions: two-time winner and world champion Lelisa Desisa, 2018 victor Yuki Kawauchi of Japan, and 2017 world champion Geoffrey Kirui.

Uganda’s 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 world champion Stephen Kiprotich will make his Boston Marathon debut. Albert Korir, the runner-up in New York last year, and Dejene Debela, runner-up to Cherono by one second in Chicago, will be chasing their first World Marathon Majors victory.

Kenya’s Kenneth Kipkemoi, Philemon Rono, Benson Kipruto and Felix Kandie all return to Boston. Other athletes in the field include Japan’s Kentaro Nakamoto and Shoya Osaki, Ethiopia’s Fikre Bekele and Eritrea’s Abrar Osman.

Jemal Yimer, the Ethiopian record-holder for the half marathon and winner of the recent Houston Half Marathon, will make his highly anticipated marathon debut.

Elite Field

Men
Lawrence Cherono (KEN) 2:04:06
Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 2:04:45
Philemon Rono (KEN) 2:05:00
Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:05:13
Kenneth Kipkemoi (KEN) 2:05:44
Dejene Debela (ETH) 2:05:46
Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:06:03
Fikre Bekele (ETH) 2:06:27
Geoffrey Kirui (KEN) 2:06:27
Stephen Kiprotich (UGA) 2:06:33
Abrar Osman (ERI) 2:07:46
Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:03
Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:08:14
Kentaro Nakamoto (JPN) 2:08:35
Dylan Wykes (CAN) 2:10:47
Shoya Osaki (JPN) 2:10:48
Fernando Cabada (USA) 2:11:36
Li Zicheng (CHN) 2:11:49
Stephen Scullion (IRL) 2:11:52
Jemal Yimer (ETH) debut

Women
Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 2:17:41
Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:19:36
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50
Mare Dibaba (ETH) 2:19:52
Buzunesh Deba (ETH) 2:19:59
Haftamnesh Tesfay (ETH) 2:20:13
Meskerem Assefa (ETH) 2:20:36
Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:20:45
Besu Sado (ETH) 2:21:03
Magdalyne Masai (KEN) 2:22:16
Desiree Linden (USA) 2:22:38
Rose Chelimo (BRN) 2:22:51
Caroline Rotich (KEN) 2:23:22
Rahma Tusa (ETH) 2:23:46
Mary Ngugi (KEN) 2:27:36
Krista Duchene (CAN) 2:28:32
Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui (KEN) 2:31:44
Kate Landau (USA) 2:31:56