Two-time Olympic medallist Hellen Obiri joins Boston Marathon elite list

On Wednesday, Hellen Obiri, a two-time Olympic medallist from Kenya, was announced as a late addition to the women’s elite field at the 2023 Boston Marathon on April 17, joining an already star-studded field featuring world championship and Olympic medallists. 

🦄Olympic Medalist & World Champion Hellen Obiri is coming to Boston!🦄

Hellen has been added to the #BostonMarathon Professional Field racing on Patriots’ Day, and won the NYC Half earlier this month.🏆#oneBOSTON @Hellen_Obiri pic.twitter.com/ykrhv1AT2H

— Boston Marathon (@bostonmarathon) March 29, 2023

This will be the second marathon of Obiri’s 12-year professional career. Her debut came last fall in New York, where she finished sixth in 2:25:49. 

Last fall, Obiri moved from Kenya to Boulder, Colo., joining forces with coach Dathan Ritzenhein and On Athletics Club. She started her 2023 season with a bang, winning UAE’s RAK Half Marathon in February in 65:05 and setting a course record of 67:21 at the NYC Half two weeks ago. Obiri owns the fifth-fastest half-marathon result in history, with a personal best of 1:04:22 from February 2022.

This past week, Obiri made headlines on Strava as she did a 25-mile long run at 2:25 marathon pace with her OAC training partner Joe Klecker of the U.S. (who posted the run). According to Klecker’s Strava caption, Obiri hit 40K in 2:18 (even with a 7:14 first mile).

Obiri’s winning streak has indicated that she’s in great shape and now comes into Boston as one of the favourites in the women’s elite field. She will be challenged by 2022 world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase, plus the 2020 Tokyo Marathon champion and world championship medallist Lonah Salpeter.

We are less than three weeks away from the 127th Boston Marathon. Here is the full list of the 2023 Boston women’s elite field.