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Boston Marathon 2023 - The Preview
by MarathonGuide.com Staff
At 127 years old, the Boston Marathon has the greatest history of any marathon and continues its commitment to bringing together a great field of elite athletes to provide drama and an exciting race. With that history and commitment - we look forward to the Boston Marathon race more than any other each year.
The 2023 Men's Race
More than any other year, the expectation is in place for an extremely fast and competitive Boston Marathon. In the race are eleven men who have run sub-2:06 in prior marathons and four who have run sub-2:04 - that is incredible. But beyond the depth in the field, the incluson of the Eliud Kipchoge, the fastest marathoner - ever - raises the stakes.
Eliud Kipchoge stands alone in marathoning - and that he will be running the Boston Marathon is part of Kipchoge's goal to improve his legacy. Kipchoge twice set the world-record in the marathon: in 2018, he ran 2:01:39 at the 2018 Berlin Marathon and in 2022 bettered that world record to 2:01:09, again at the Berlin Marathon. In a promotional event - not eligible for world record certification, Kipchoge became the only man in history to finsh 26.2 miles in under 2 hours. Kipchoge is one of only three men to win back-to-back Olympic Marathon gold, has won the last four "Marathon Majors Series" titles and now is on a quest to win each individual Marathon Majors race - hence his appearance in Boston. Kipchoge has already won a Marathon Majors race seven times: Berlin in 2015/2017/2018/2022, Chicago in 2014, and London in 2016/2019 - more than any other runner in history. In a pre-race interview, Kipchoge let it be known that he wanted to win the other Marathon Majors races he has not yet won: Boston, New York and Tokyo. He is in Boston not only to race, but to win. And likely he will.
Behind Kipchoge (perhaps) is Evans Chebet. Chebet is the defending champion at the Boston Marathon (2022: 2:06:51) and the reigning champion of the New York City Marathon (2022: 2:08:41). With a personal best of 2:03 (from the 2020 Valencia Marathon), Chebet also has the speed to hang with any other runner in the pack. Gabriel Geay of Tanzanaia is not a household name, but his 2:03:00 personal best set in December 2022 (runner-up at the 2022 Valencia Marathon) should ensure that he will be at the front of the race for much of the cours and is a favorite to at least finish on the podium. Shura Kitata - with his 2020 win at the London - became the only man in the field to ever finish ahead of Kipchoge and should be watched. There are quite a number of other impressive runners in the field who could be dark horse champions, but the favorites will be among those just mentioned.
The 2023 Women's Race
The 2023 Boston Marathon is being touted as having the deepest women's field in the history of the race, and that appears to be true. It used to be that running sub-2:20 in a marathon for women was a rare occurence - but the 2022 Boston Marathon contains seven women who have run faster than that standard. At the top of the list is Amane Beriso who ran 2:14:58 at the 2022 Valencia Marathon to become the third fastest women's marathoner ever. With the Boston Marathon course record standing at 2:19:59 and with the seven fastest women all having run faster than that within the two years preceding the race, it's likely that the course record can fall.
Although not favored to be in the top three finishers are some past champions and tough competitors. Among our favoites to watch are Edna Kiplagat, Desiree Linden, Sarah Hall and Aliphine Tuliamuk. For more than a decade, Kiplagat has been at the top of major marathon fields, winning the New York City Marathon in 2010, the London Marathon in 2014 and the Boston Marathon in 2017 and 2022 (among other credentials). The 2022 win was unexpected as Kiplagat crossed the finish line second, but months later it became confirmed that the woman who crossed first was doping and was ultimately disqualified, making Kiplagat the winner. Although not the fastest, and at 43 the oldest in the pro field, Kiplagat is always a strong competitor.
There are so many other strong women in the field - it's nearly impossible to predict how this race will turn out. But two American women deserve special mention. Desiree Linden was runner-up at Boston in 2011 and was the last American women's champion winning Boston in 2023. Linden is always tough and when it is least expected, Linden can shine. Sarah Hall is the fastest American woman in the field and seems to still be on the ascendancy. A breakthrough for Hall in Boston should be expected. Not expected to land on the podium, Aliphine Tuliamuk should be watched to see if she can lead the American contingent. Tuliamuk was the winner of the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon and as we look forward to the 2024 Olympics, we're always interested in handicapping the Americans and Tuliamuk will be one to watch.
Elite Lineup:
| Male Elite Athletes |
| Athlete | Country | Bib | Personal Best |
| Evans Chebet (34) | Kenya | 1 | 2:03:00, Valencia, 2020 |
| Eliud Kipchoge (38) | Kenya | 2 | 2:01:09, Berlin, 2022 |
| Gabriel Geay (26) | Tanzania | 3 | 2:03:00, Valencia, 2022 |
| Herpasa Negasa (29) | Ethiopia | 4 | 2:03:40, Dubai, 2019 |
| Benson Kipruto (32) | Kenya | 5 | 2:04:24, Chicago, 2022 |
| Lelisa Desisa (33) | Ethiopia | 6 | 2:04:45, Dubai, 2013 |
| Shura Kitata (26) | Ethiopia | 7 | 2:04:49, London, 2018 |
| John Korir (26) | Kenya | 8 | 2:05:01, Chicago, 2022 |
| Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (27) | Eritrea | 10 | 2:05:34, Seville, 2022 |
| Andualem Belay (31) | Ethiopia | 11 | 2:05:45, Lisbon, 2022 |
| Mark Korir (38) | Kenya | 12 | 2:05:49, Paris, 2015 |
| Filmon Ande (25) | Eritrea | 14 | 2:06:38, Barcelona, 2021 |
| Andamlak Belihu (24) | Ethiopia | 15 | 2:06:40, Berlin, 2022 |
| Hamza Sahli (29) | Morocco | 16 | 2:07:15, Daegu, 2022 |
| Isaac Mpofu (34) | Zimbabwe | 18 | 2:06:48, Valencia, 2022 |
| Albert Korir (29) | Kenya | 19 | 2:08:03, Ottawa, 2019 |
| Conner Mantz (26) | USA | 20 | 2:08:16, Chicago, 2022 |
| Scott Fauble (31) | USA | 22 | 2:08:52, Boston, 2022 |
| Matt McDonald (29) | USA | 24 | 2:09:49, Chicago, 2022 |
| Nico Montanez (29) | USA | 25 | 2:13:55, Chicago, 2021 |
| Hendrik Pfeiffer (30) | Germany | 26 | 2:10:18, Seville, 2020 |
| Clayton CJ Albertson (29) | USA | 27 | 2:10:23, Boston, 2022 |
| Jonas Hampton (34) | USA | 28 | 2:12:10, 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon, 2020 |
| Ben True (37) | USA | 29 | 2:12:53, New York City, 2021 |
| Augustine Choge (36) | Kenya | 30 | 2:20:53, New York City, 2021 |
| Zouhair Talbi (28) | Morocco | 31 | Debut |
| Frans Melikhaya (33) | South Africa | 40 | 2:09:24, Eugene 2022 |
| Nathan Martin (33) | USA | 41 | 2:11:05, The Marathon Project, 2020 |
| Mustafa Mohamed (44) | Sweden | 42 | 2:11:09, NN Mission Marathon, 2021 |
| Colin Mickow (33) | USA | 43 | 2:11:22, The Marathon Project, 2020 |
| Wilkerson Given (32) | USA | 44 | 2:11:44, Chicago, 2019 |
| Turner Wiley (30) | USA | 45 | 2:11:59, Chicago, 2022 |
| Mick Clohisey (37) | Ireland | 47 | 2:13:19, Dublin, 2019 |
| JP Flavin (24) | USA | 48 | 2:14:55, Chicago, 2022 |
| Sam Chelanga (38) | USA | 49 | 2:15:02, Chicago, 2017 |
| Connor Weaver (27) | USA | 51 | 2:15:46, Duluth, 2022 |
| Zachary Ornelas (31) | USA | 52 | 2:16:01, Sacramento, 2022 |
| Fernando Cabada (40) | USA | 53 | 2:11:36, Berlin, 2014 |
| Edward Mulder (30) | USA | 54 | 2:16:55, Duluth, 2022 |
| Matt Lenehan (31) | USA | 55 | 2:17:03, Sacramento, 2021 |
| Andrew McCann (34) | USA | 56 | 2:17:07, Sacramento, 2022 |
| Jon Mott (36) | USA | 57 | 2:17:20, Berlin 2022 |
| Jack Mastandrea (25) | USA | 58 | 2:17:28, Ottawa 2022 |
| Brian Harvey (35) | USA | 59 | 2:17:05, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2014 |
| Eduardo Garcia (30) | USA | 60 | 2:17:45, Sacramento, 2021 |
| Adam Wollant (29) | USA | 61 | 2:17:53, Houston, 2022 |
| Mark Messmer (30) | USA | 62 | 2:17:27, Houston, 2023 |
| Jason Ayr (33) | USA | 64 | 2:18:14, Houston, 2022 |
| Luis Carlos Rivero (37) | Guatemala | 65 | 2:15:43, Seville, 2020 |
| Eric Ashe (34) | USA | 66 | 2:17:06, Duluth, 2015 |
| Austin O'Brien (30) | USA | 67 | 2:18:43, Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, 2019 |
| Sergio Reyes (41) | USA | 69 | 2:13:34, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2013 |
| Prescott Leach (40) | USA | 70 | 2:19:34, Sacramento, 2019 |
| Steven Lawrence (45) | USA | 73 | 2:23:09, Chicago, 2022 |
| Chip O'Hara (42) | USA | 74 | 2:21:20, Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon, 2020 |
| Anthony Bruns (43) | USA | 75 | 2:25:45, Sacramento 2021 |
| Miguel Morone (40) | Brazil | 76 | 2:25:54, Porto 2022 |
| Iain Hunter (52) | USA | 77 | 2:20:53, St. George Marathon, 2013 |
| Dennis Mbelenzi (41) | Canada | 78 | 2:26:07, Boston, 2022 |
| Ben Bruce (40) | USA | 79 | 2:21:09, Phoenix Marathon, 2020 |
| Brian Shrader (31) | USA | 4177 | 2:13:27, Chicago, 2019 |
| Daniel Do Nascimento (24) | Brazil | | 2:04:51, Seoul, 2022 |
| Nobert Kigen (30) | Kenya | | 2:24:21, Eldoret KASS Marathon, 2014 |
| Michael Githae (28) | Kenya | | 2:07:28, Fukuoka, 2022 |
| Mick Iacofano (28) | USA | | 2:09:55, Chandler, 2020 |
| Paul Hogan (27) | USA | | 2:14:35, Great Limerick Run, 2015 |
| Pardon Ndhlovu (35) | USA | | 2:15:04, Duluth, 2022 |
| Joe Whelan (32) | USA | | 2:13:39, Duluth, 2019 |
| Joe Whelan (32) | USA | | 2:13:39, Duluth, 2019 |
| Gilles Rubio (42) | France | | 2:18:53, Valencia 2021 |
| Markus Ploner (42) | Italy | | 2:19:43, Milan, 2021 |
| Simon Poulin (40) | Canada | | 2:22:57, Amsterdam, 2021 |
| Dave Archer (40) | United Kingdom | | 2:23:23, Wrexham Elite Marathon, 2021 |
| Female Elite Athletes |
| Athlete | Country | Bib | Personal Best |
| Edna Kiplagat (43) | Kenya | 101 | 2:19:50, London, 2012 |
| Amane Beriso (31) | Ethiopia | 102 | 2:14:58, Valencia, 2022 |
| Joyciline Jepkosgei (29) | Kenya | 104 | 2:17:43, London, 2021 |
| Lonah Salpeter (34) | Israel | 105 | 2:17:45, Tokyo, 2020 |
| Angela Tanui (30) | Kenya | 106 | 2:17:57, Amsterdam, 2021 |
| Gotytom Gebreslase (28) | Ethiopia | 107 | 2:18:11, Eugene, 2022 |
| Desiree Linden (39) | USA | 108 | 2:22:38, Boston, 2011 |
| Hiwot Gebremaryam (27) | Ethiopia | 110 | 2:19:10, Tokyo, 2022 |
| Celestine Chepchirchir (27) | Kenya | 111 | 2:20:10, Seoul, 2022 |
| Maurine Chepkemoi (24) | Kenya | 112 | 2:20:18, Amsterdam, 2021 |
| Mary Ngugi (34) | Kenya | 113 | 2:20:22, London, 2022 |
| Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet (33) | Eritrea | 114 | 2:20:29, Eugene, 2022 |
| Sara Hall (40) | USA | 115 | 2:20:32, Chandler, 2020 |
| Ababel Yeshaneh (31) | Ethiopia | 116 | 2:20:51, Chicago, 2019 |
| Vibian Chepkirui (28) | Kenya | 117 | 2:20:59, Vienna, 2022 |
| Atsede Baysa (36) | Ethiopia | 118 | 2:22:03, Chicago, 2012 |
| Viola Cheptoo (34) | Kenya | 119 | 2:22:44, New York City, 2021 |
| Nienke Brinkman (29) | Netherlands | 120 | 2:22:51, Rotterdam, 2022 |
| Emma Bates (30) | USA | 121 | 2:23:18, Eugene, 2022 |
| Hellen Obiri (33) | USA | 122 | 2:25:49, New York, 2022 |
| Dakotah Lindwurm (27) | USA | 123 | 2:25:01, Duluth, 2022 |
| Laura Thweatt (34) | USA | 124 | 2:25:38, London, 2017 |
| Nell Rojas (35) | USA | 125 | 2:25:57, Boston, 2022 |
| Annie Frisbie (26) | USA | 126 | 2:26:18, New York City, 2021 |
| Sara Vaughn (36) | USA | 127 | 2:26:23, Chicago, 2022 |
| Haruka Yamaguchi (35) | Japan | 128 | 2:26:35, Osaka, 2020 |
| Aliphine Tuliamuk (34) | USA | 129 | 2:26:18, New York City, 2022 |
| Maggie Montoya (27) | USA | 130 | 2:28:07, Chicago, 2022 |
| Maegan Krifchin (35) | USA | 131 | 2:29:21, Sacramento, 2022 |
| Militsa Mircheva (28) | Bulgaria | 132 | 2:29:23, Copenhagen, 2022 |
| Erika Kemp (28) | USA | 133 | Debut |
| Hanna Lindholm (43) | Sweden | 140 | 2:28:59, Seville, 2020 |
| Sydney Devore (31) | USA | 142 | 2:31:07, Sacramento, 2022 |
| Annmarie Tuxbury (29) | USA | 143 | 2:31:31, Sacramento, 2022 |
| Kaitlin Goodman Gregg (36) | USA | 144 | 2:32:08, Sacramento, 2017 |
| Kaitlin Goodman Gregg (36) | USA | 144 | 2:32:08, Sacramento, 2017 |
| Kodi Kleven (31) | USA | 145 | 2:32:45, St. George Marathon, 2021 |
| Briana Boehmer (44) | USA | 147 | 2:33:20, Berlin 2022 |
| Jesse Cardin (27) | USA | 148 | 2:33:34, Chicago 2022 |
| Savannah Berry (27) | USA | 149 | 2:33:42, Sacramento, 2022 |
| Olivia Pratt (29) | USA | 150 | 2:34:22, Chicago, 2022 |
| Anne-Marie Blaney (29) | USA | 151 | 2:34:38, Ottawa, 2022 |
| Mckale Montgomery (38) | USA | 152 | 2:34:36, The Marathon Project, 2020 |
| Liza Howard (34) | Canada | 153 | 2:35:29, Chicago, 2022 |
| Esther Atkins (36) | USA | 154 | 2:33:15, Boston, 2014 |
| Sylvia Bedford (32) | USA | 155 | 2:36:00, St. George Marathon, 2022 |
| English Jackson Tomlinson (24) | USA | 156 | 2:36:51, Chicago 2022 |
| Aisling Cuffe (29) | USA | 157 | 2:37:23, Boston, 2022 |
| Rachel Coogan (32) | USA | 158 | 2:37:40, Houston, 2022 |
| Tennille Ellis (38) | Australia | 161 | 2:39:08, Gold Coast, 2022 |
| April Lund (40) | USA | 162 | 2:39:23, Houston, 2022 |
| Carmen Hussar (46) | Canada | 163 | 2:39:51, Duluth, 2022 |
| Gina Rouse (43) | USA | 164 | 2:38:41, 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon, 2020 |
| Natasha Bliss (42) | USA | 165 | 2:43:28, London, 2022 |
| Julie Lajeunesse (41) | Canada | 166 | 2:44:49, Chicago 2022 |
| Jennifer Hughes (44) | USA | 168 | 2:45:22, Big Bear Lake 2021 |
| Jenny Hitchings (59) | USA | 169 | 2:45:32, Boston 2021 |
| Hilary Corno (47) | USA | 170 | 2:42:16, Boston, 2017 |
| Dani Moreno (30) | USA | 171 | Debut |
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