A spectacular 2:05:06 course record for Geoffrey Mutai in New York (© Getty Images)
Reigning champions Geoffrey Mutai and Caroline Kilel of Kenya will return to defend their Boston Marathon title at this IAAF Gold Label Road Race's 116th running on 16 April.
At last year's race, Mutai produced a stunning performance, running the fastest Marathon under any conditions when he prevailed against a highly competitive field without the aid of pacesetters. In a thrilling duel to the finish, Mutai outkicked his teammate Moses Mosop in the final metres to break the tape in 2:03:02 to Mosop’s 2:03:06.
“I want to return to Boston to defend my title,” said Mutai. “I very much liked the race in 2011, because I made the best time ever run in the marathon.”
After his Boston win, Mutai continued to break barriers as he notched a 2:05:06 course record this past fall at the ING New York City Marathon. With that double crown, he became the first man in history to break course records in Boston and New York City in the same year.
Boston’s 2011 women’s race was equally enthralling as fans from around the world saw Caroline Kilel trade the lead with American Desiree Davila several times down the finishing stretch of Boylston Street. Kilel ultimately triumphed by two seconds over Davila for the 2:22:36 win, before collapsing in exhaustion. The close finish marked the fourth consecutive year the women’s race in Boston had been decided by three seconds or less.
“I have chosen the Boston Marathon because, of course, I had a good experience by winning in 2011,” said Kilel. “I hope I can do the same this year.” With another podium finish, Kilel hopes to be named to the 2012 Kenyan Olympic Marathon Team.
Kilel and Davila now respectively hold the fourth and fifth fastest times ever run on the Boston course. Davila also claimed the U.S. course record of 2:22:38, which eclipsed Joan Benoit Samuelson’s 1983 record of 2:22:43.
Organisers for the IAAF
