Yebrqual Melese wins the Shanghai Marathon (© AFP / Getty Images)
Olympians, big city marathon winners and several former champions will contest the Boston Marathon on 11 October in what will be the first time the World Athletics Elite Platinum Road Race has been held in autumn.
Nine women who have clocked sub-2:22 lifetime bests will line up in Hopkinton, including Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese, whose 2:19:36 personal best makes her the fastest in the field. She’ll be joined by compatriot Mare Dibaba, the 2015 world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medallist. Ethiopian 2:20:24 marathon runner Workenesh Edesa, winner of past Xiamen, Lanzhou, and Marrakech Marathons, will make her Boston debut.
Five of the top seven finishers from the 2019 Boston Marathon return, aiming to break the tape on Boylston Street: Kenya’s two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat, USA’s Jordan Hasay, Des Linden, Kenya’s Caroline Rotich and Mary Ngugi.
A trio of Kenyans with prior top-five finishes in Boston look to contend for the win in the men’s race, as Wilson Chebet, Felix Kandie, and Paul Lonyangata will use knowledge of the undulating course to their advantage. They’ll be up against a trifecta of sub-2:06 Ethiopians in Lemi Berhanu, the 2015 Boston champion, and Dejene Debela and Asefa Mengstu, who finished second and third at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Both Debela and Mengstu will be running their first Boston Marathon.
After much success over the half marathon and in cross country, Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton and Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer will both make their long awaited marathon debuts in Boston. Barsoton earned a silver medal at the 2017 World Cross Country Championships, while Yimer owns the Ethiopian half marathon record of 58:33.
Eight of the top 12 finishers from the US Olympic Trials Marathon will also compete in Boston, led by 2021 Olympian Abdi Abdirahman.
Elite field
Women
Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:19:36
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50
Mare Dibaba (ETH) 2:19:52
Workenesh Edesa (ETH) 2:20:24
Sutume Kebede (ETH) 2:20:30
Jordan Hasay (USA) 2:20:57
Besu Sado (ETH) 2:21:03
Helah Kiprop (KEN) 2:21:27
Bedatu Hirpa (ETH) 2:21:32
Atsede Baysa (ETH) 2:22:03
Diana Chemtai Kipyogei (KEN) 2:22:06
Desiree Linden (USA) 2:22:38
Biruktayit Eshetu (ETH) 2:22:40
Tigist Abayechew (ETH) 2:22:45
Purity Changwony (KEN) 2:22:46
Caroline Rotich (KEN) 2:23:22
Molly Huddle (USA) 2:26:33
Mary Ngugi (KEN) 2:27:36
Nell Rojas (USA) 2:28:09
Paige Stoner (USA) 2:28:43
Shiho Kaneshige (JPN) 2:28:51
Dakotah Lindwurm (USA) 2:29:04
Netsanet Gudeta (ETH) 2:29:15
Kellys Arias (COL) 2:29:36
Julia Griffey (USA) 2:29:58
Tish Jones (GBR) 2:31:00
Caroline Chepkoech (KEN) debut
Monicah Wanjuhi (KEN) debut
Elaina Tabb (USA) debut
Men
Asefa Mengstu (ETH) 2:04:06
Lemi Berhanu (ETH) 2:04:33
Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:05:13
Wilson Chebet (KEN) 2:05:27
Filex Kiprotich (KEN) 2:05:33
Dejene Debela (ETH) 2:05:46
Thomas Kiplagat (KEN) 2:06:00
Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:06:03
Paul Lonyangata (KEN) 2:06:10
Tsedat Ayana (ETH) 2:06:18
Geoffrey Kirui (KEN) 2:06:27
Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:07:27
Abrar Osman (ERI) 2:07:46
Jake Robertson (NZL) 2:08:26
Bayelign Teshager (ETH) 2:08:28
Abdi Abdirahman (USA) 2:08:56
Scott Fauble (USA) 2:09:09
Colin Bennie (USA) 2:09:38
Scott Smith (USA) 2:09:46
Stephen Scullion (IRL) 2:09:49
Augustus Maiyo (USA) 2:10:47
Dylan Wykes (CAN) 2:10:47
Parker Stinson (USA) 2:10:53
Matt McDonald (USA) 2:11:10
CJ Albertson (USA) 2:11:18
Eric Gillis (CAN) 2:11:21
Reid Buchanan (USA) 2:11:38
Jonas Hampton (USA) 2:12:10
Tyler Pennel (USA) 2:12:34
Tyler Jermann (USA) 2:12:40
Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:12:54
Peter Gilmore (USA) 2:13:13
Sam Kosgei (USA) 2:13:26
Jarrett Leblanc (USA) 2:13:51
Tim Young (USA) 2:14:16
Carlos Trujillo (GUA) 2:14:21
Luke Humphrey (USA) 2:14:39
Nitendra Rawat Singh (IND) 2:15:18
Jemal Yimer (ETH) debut
Leonard Barsoton (KEN) debut
David Bett (KEN) debut
