Kenya’s Hellen Obiri is aiming to perform a uncommon feat on Monday—successful three consecutive Boston Marathon titles, one thing solely two girls within the race’s historical past have accomplished earlier than her. The 35-year-old distance runner has already cemented her legacy as one of many best feminine distance runners in historical past, with a number of Olympic and world championship medals on each the monitor and the roads. A Boston three-peat could be a uncommon pinnacle of feat.
Hellen Obiri gained the Boston Marathon in 2023. She gained once more in 2024. Now, she has the prospect to grow to be the primary ever Kenyan lady to win the race 3 times on the 2025 Boston Marathon on Monday. pic.twitter.com/zzIBvULa1S
— RUN (@Outside_Run) April 18, 2025
It has been 26 years since Ethiopia’s Fatuma Roba final achieved three straight Boston Marathon victories in 1999, and Obiri acknowledges this will likely be her hardest problem but. At Friday’s press convention, she mirrored on the problem of defending a title, saying, “Successful the Boston Marathon twice in a row was exhausting, however I’m comfortable to have accomplished it.”
As for her race-day technique, Obiri says it stays unchanged: push for the win and intention for the three-peat. It has been practically six months since her final marathon, the place she positioned second on the 2024 New York Metropolis Marathon, ending behind compatriot Sheila Chepkirui. The previous Olympic silver medallist over 5,000m uncharacteristically pale within the last miles, simply 12 weeks after incomes Olympic bronze within the girls’s marathon in Paris.
Not like in New York, Obiri gained’t arrive in Boston on drained legs. At Friday’s press convention, she assured the media she’s wholesome, match and able to defend her title as soon as once more. She will likely be powerful to beat on Monday, particularly if the race comes right down to endurance within the last 5 miles.
Nonetheless, Obiri gained’t have a simple path to victory. She’ll be joined on the beginning line by six girls with sub-2:20 private bests, together with the reigning world champion, Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso. Beriso completed runner-up to Obiri in Boston in 2023 and holds the quickest PB within the discipline at 2:14:58. The 2 confronted off within the Olympic marathon in Paris, the place Obiri claimed bronze and Beriso completed fifth—setting the stage for one more shut battle on Monday.
Beriso will likely be joined by Ethiopian compatriot Yalemzerf Yehualaw, the 2022 London Marathon champion and former 10K world file holder. A number of sturdy Kenyans may also be within the combine, together with two-time Boston winner Edna Kiplagat and 2022 New York Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi. Each have spectacular data in Boston, with Lokedi ending second to Obiri in 2024 and Kiplagat incomes the title in 2021.
Canadians within the elite discipline
If you happen to’re on the lookout for Canadian elite girls to cheer for on Marathon Monday, Rachel Hannah of Port Elgin, Ont., has been dominating Ontario highway races this spring, successful each the Chilly Half Marathon and Across the Bay 30K. With these victories, the 38-year-old has demonstrated her greatest type in years, setting the stage for a probably sturdy efficiency in Boston.
One other Canadian marathoner to observe is Toronto’s Kylee Raftis, who may very well be poised for a breakthrough efficiency. She positioned thirty sixth within the Boston girls’s discipline final 12 months and is coming off a private greatest of two:38:45 in New York final fall.
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Methods to watch
The 2025 Boston Marathon will likely be broadcast on TSN, starting at 9:00 a.m. ET on Monday, April 21. The ladies’s open race will start at 9:47 a.m.
Canadian Working will likely be your property for the 129th Boston Marathon, that includes live-tweeting and social media posts from the occasion. Observe us on Twitter and Instagram for information and updates.