With Olympic experience under their belts, these Americans hope to improve on previous Boston Marathons
'I was a little presumptuous about what I thought I could do,' he said. 'It was a real humbling experience. All of a sudden I ran a race where I blew up and I blew up hard. The last Boston has been in my mind too much. So I'm excited to come out here and actually do one where I can think better and execute better and race better and run faster.'
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Popehn, who finished 12th, 14th, and 26th in her three previous undertakings here, was 12th in Paris.
'I'll take the starting line with a lot more confidence than I had at my previous Bostons,' she said. 'I felt that I didn't necessarily always belong.'
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Young, Mantz's Utah training partner and fellow Brigham Young alum who finished right behind Mantz at Olympus, missed the 2022 race with an injury and watched instead.
'To finally be here on the start line is the magic of Boston,' Young said.
London is loaded
Next Sunday's London Marathon features its customary star power. Besides Olympic gold medalist
Tamirat Tola
of Ethiopia and Kenyan defending champion
Alexander Mutiso
, the men's field features a throwback showdown between Kenya's
Eliud Kipchoge
and Ethiopia's
Kenenisa Bekele
, who've been matching strides on the track and road since 2003.
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The 40-year-old Kipchoge, a four-time London victor, has beaten the 42-year-old Bekele in four of their five marathon meetings. Their most recent encounter at the Paris Olympics was a letdown for both men. Bekele finished 39th and Kipchoge, bidding for an unprecedented third title, dropped out.
The women's side features not only the present and former Olympic champions in
Sifan Hassan
of the Netherlands and Kenya's
Peres Jepchirchir
(the 2022 Boston winner) but also the current and former world record-holders in Kenya's
Ruth Chepngetich
and Ethiopia's
Tigst Assefa
.
Sydney a major
Sydney has been added as the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major joining Boston, London, New York, Chicago, Berlin, and Tokyo. The race, which began in 2000 as a test event for that summer's Olympics, will be held on August 31 at the end of the Australian winter and three weeks before the Berlin event. The point-to-point course, made flatter and faster 15 years ago, crosses the Harbour Bridge and finishes at the fabled Opera House.
Favorable forecast
Monday's weather forecast appears favorable for the runners — temperatures in the mid-50s with a slight crosswind. That's not always the case in years ending in 5 — near 100 degrees in 1905, 'intense heat' in 1915, a cold wind and snowflakes in 1925, and a soaking chilly headwind in 2015.
Kenyans love Boston
Back for the eighth time and bidding for her fifth podium finish is Kenya's ageless
Edna Kiplagat
, the two-time champion who finished third last year at 44.
'Coming back to Boston this year is another great opportunity for me to perform at the high level, considering all the hard work that I've put in,' said Kiplagat, who won here in 2017 and 2021. 'So I will try my best on Monday and see if I can get onto the podium.'
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Kiplagat's bemedaled résumé is extraordinary. Besides claiming world titles in 2011 and 2013, she has won in London and New York and made the podium in Chicago and Tokyo.
Returning for the seventh time is Kiplagat's 41-year-old countrywoman
Sharon Cherop
, who won here in 2012 and was third twice. Cherop may be the sport's foremost globetrotter, having run 26-milers on five continents in venues ranging from Toronto to Buenos Aires to Singapore to Rome to Lagos City.
Special day
Marking the 10th anniversary of his 2015 victory in Boston is Ethiopia's
Lelisa Desisa
, who's also making his 10th appearance at 35. Desisa also was the victor in 2013, the year of the Boylston Street bombings. To commemorate the victims he donated his champion's medal to the City of Boston.
'For me winning here was everything, you know?,' he said. 'When that event happened I am very sad. So I gave the medal to the city and am happy to give. The people who died and their families, they were strong.'
Besides this year marking the 50th anniversary of
Bill Rodgers's
first victory here it's also the 95th of
Clarence DeMar's
record seventh triumph, the 80th of
Johnny Kelley's
second laurel wreath (with a decade in between), the 45th of fraudster
Rosie Ruiz's
'victory', the 40th of the final race without prize money, and the 20th of
Catherine Ndereba's
record fourth win.
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