Evans Chebet aiming for three-peat at 2024 Boston Marathon

On Wednesday, the Boston Athletic Association unveiled the men’s elite field for the 2024 Boston Marathon. The race is headlined by back-to-back Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet, who will aim to become the fourth runner (in the modern era, since 1950) to win the race three years in a row.

A fast pro men’s field will take center stage at the 128th Boston Marathon presented by @BankofAmerica, featuring two-time defending open champion Evans Chebet, wheelchair course record holder Marcel Hug, & world’s fourth-fastest man Sisay Lemma🤩🦄⁰⁰🔗 https://t.co/pifjVbPPgt pic.twitter.com/W8cvYXNf0O

— Boston Marathon (@bostonmarathon) January 17, 2024

If Chebet were to accomplish the three-peat, he would join an exclusive club consisting of American Bill Rodgers (1978-1980), Kenya’s Cosmas Ndeti (1993-1995) and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (2006-2008) as the only men to win three straight since 1950.

Chebet’s familiarity with the course gives him a competitive edge. Last year, he accelerated over the final 10K to drop pre-race favourite Eliud Kipchoge and win his second title, in 2:05:54. Chebet will no less be the favourite heading into the 2024 race, but there will be questions about his fitness, after he missed the 2023 New York City Marathon due to injury.

The 34-year-old is widely considered one of the best tactical marathoners in the world and has won six of his last seven marathons. But despite winning his last three majors, Chebet was left off the Kenyan Olympic marathon team for Paris 2024, so all focus will be on executing the three-peat.

“Boston has become like a second home to me, and running in Boston is always special—returning as the reigning champion even more so,” said Chebet in a press release. “The chance to race in Boston with the fans there gives me the motivation I need to defend my title.”

Challenging Chebet

Joining Chebet on the elite list is the 2023 Valencia Marathon champion and the fourth-fastest marathoner in history, Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma. The 33-year-old is coming off a 2:01:48 performance in Valencia and will be appearing in Boston for the third time in his career. His previous performances in Boston have not gone well; he dropped out of the race in 2022 and finished 30th overall in 2019. Third time’s a charm, right?

Another athlete to watch is 2:03 man Gabriel Geay of Tanzania. Geay has always been the bridesmaid in Boston, and never the bride. He was the runner-up to Chebet last year, and fourth in 2022. Other elites in the field are 2021 TCS New York City champion Albert Korir and 2024 Houston Marathon champion Zouhair Talbi of Morocco, who won that race in a course record time of 2:06:39 and could emerge as a dark horse to win. (Talbi was fifth at Boston in 2023.)

Canada’s Tristan Woodfine ready for another marathon

Fresh off a personal best and a sixth-place finish at the 2024 Houston Marathon last weekend, Tristan Woodfine is ready to take on another marathon, being the lone Canadian in the men’s elite field. The Cobden, Ont., native ran to a 12-second personal best of 2:10:39 on Jan. 14, breaking his former PB from the 2020 London Marathon (2:10:51).

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With two spots still open on the Canadian men’s Olympic team for Paris, Woodfine has an opportunity to take one of those spots in Boston. Although the Boston Marathon does not count as a World Athletics recognized course for records or Olympic qualification because of the net downhill, an athlete can still qualify for the Olympics by placing inside the top five at an Abbott World Marathon Major. Woodfine does not need to run the Olympic standard of 2:08:10 in Boston, but if he can place well, he could potentially punch his ticket to Paris. The fifth-place runner at the 2023 Boston Marathon came across the line in 2:08:35.

You can view the full men’s elite field for the 2024 Boston Marathon here. The women’s elite field, which came out last week, is available here.