The Boston Marathon, one of the world’s six major marathons (alongside Tokyo, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York), is being held today.
For its 129th edition, over 32,000 runners are participating, with elite Ethiopian and Kenyan athletes among the top favorites for victory.
The Boston Athletic Association noted that this year’s race features an exceptional level of competition, with many athletes capable of finishing the 42-kilometer course in record times.
Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma had claimed victory in the men’s race with a commanding performance, clocking 2:06:17—finishing 41 seconds ahead of his closest rival. Lemma, who holds a world-leading personal best of 2:01:48, reaffirmed his status as one of the greatest marathoners.
Lemma was initially Ethiopia’s top pick for the 2024 Paris Olympics but withdrew due to injury, allowing Tamirat Tola to step in—who went on to win gold.
Then Sisay faced stiff competition from Evans Chebet (two-time Boston winner) and John Korir (2024 Chicago Marathon champion, PB: 2:02:44).
Kenya’s Helen Obiri, the reigning Olympic Marathon gold medalist (Paris 2024), aimed to make history by winning her third consecutive Boston Marathon—a feat last achieved in 1999.
Obiri’s toughest challengers were Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso (2023 World Champion) and Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2022 London Marathon winner, PB: 2:14:58, the 5th fastest ever).
After narrowly losing to Obiri in 2023, Beriso was determined to claim victory this time.
The race highlighted Ethiopia’s dominance in long-distance running, with Lemma’s win and strong performances from Beriso and Yehualaw reinforcing the nation’s elite status. The Bottom-line is Ethiopian athletes are highly expected to outperform, dominating the highly anticipated championship in today’s Boston Marathon.