Boston Marathon field rich with Kenyan talent

World marathon record holder Dennis Kimetto, two times world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat and 2015 champion Caroline Rotich are in a field rich with Kenyan talent for the Boston Marathon due on April 17.

Former world marathon record holder Patrick Makau, who is also the 2011 Berlin Marathon winner, the 2012 Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir, 2011 London Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai and Sammy Kitwara also dots the men’s field.

Wilson Chebet, a three-time Amsterdam winner and upcoming Geoffrey Kirui are also in the race as the Kenyan men seek to recapture the title that has eluded them since Korir’s victory in 2012.

Besides Kiplagat, who is making her debut in Boston and Rotich, the women’s field has the 2015 Berlin marathon champion Gladys Cherono, who is making a comeback after almost one year, 2015 Amsterdam Marathon winner Joyce Chepkirui make the women’s elite list.

Also in the women’s fray is the 2013 Amsterdam champion Valentine Kipketer, who also won the 2013 Mumbai Marathon.

Kimetto, 32, is the fastest in the men’s field, holding a personal best 2 hours, 02 minutes and 57 seconds from his world record breaking feat at the 2014 Berlin Marathon. He will be eying victory on his debut in Boston, having won Chicago and Tokyo in 2013.

Kimetto, who also holds the world 25km record of 1:11:18 set in 2012 in Berlin, expects stiff challenge from fellow countrymen Mutai, Makau and Kitwara.

Mutai, who finished second to Kimetto in the 2014 Berlin race, is a London and Amsterdam champion and won the silver medal at the 2009 IAAF World Championships.

Makau is a former marathon world record-holder (2:03:38), two-time Berlin and Fukuoka winner, and champion in Rotterdam and Frankfurt.

Kitwara has run six half marathons under one hour and is coming off a December win in Taipei.

The Kenyans have a battle at hand against defending Boston Marathon champion Lemi Berhanu Hayle, who will be seeking support from fellow countrymen Yemane Tsegay, Dino Sefir and Sisay Lemma.

The 2014 Boston winner and 2004 Olympic silver medallist Meb Keflezighi and 2016 Olympic Marathon bronze medallist Galen Rupp from the American front.

Kiplagat and Rotich lead the Kenyan women assault in pursue of snatching the title from Ethiopian Atsede Baysa.