NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 18 – Geoffrey Kamworor will line up in the streets of Boston on Monday evening, seeking a second World Marathon Major title, motivated by his close friend and training partner Eliud Kipchoge.
Kipchoge himself has won four out of six World Marathon Majors and Kamworor has often admitted that he would want to take after his training partner.
“He really motivates me a lot and everytime gives me advise on how to tackle different races because he is very experienced and is the best marathoner in the world,” Kamworor told Capital Sports in a previous interview.
Kamworor, a three-time World Half Marathon champion has won the New York Marathon twice, in 2017 and 2019, won silver in the same race in 2015, bronze in 2018 and a double bronze from the Berlin Marathon in 2012 and 2013.
In Boston, he will be making his debut and all eyes will be on him to produce a masterclass of a performance.
“I have trained really well and I feel my body is in good shape. I will just go in there and give my best,” said Kamworor ahead of the Monday evening (morning USA time).
Competition will be stiff for Kamworor with a loaded field lining up.
Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese, who has a PB of 2:02:48 will be one of the toughest men Kamworor has to watch out for.
The 27-year-old Ethiopian rarely gets it wrong in the marathon. Along with his Tokyo Marathon victories in 2019 and 2020, he placed second in Berlin in 2019, which is when he set his lifetime best, and was third in Valencia in 2020 and fifth in London last year.
Six of the past eight winners will also return to Boston: defending champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya, 2019 winner Lawrence Cherono, 2018 champion Yuki Kawauchi, 2016 victor Lemi Berhanu, and two-time winner Lelisa Desisa.
Kipruto, a 2:05:13 performer, may not have the fastest PB, but times often count for very little when it comes to the Boston Marathon. The fact he has previously won on this course, however, counts for a lot.
“Being back in Boston as a champion is very exciting, but at the same time I feel the pressure and the responsibility to defend my title,” said Kipruto.
He added; “I really admire those athletes that managed to be multiple champions in big races. I really want to do my best to be one of them and I really hope to make my name among those Boston champions that people will remember for a long time.”
Winners of two other big city races in 2021 will also be on the start line: London Marathon champion Sisay Lemma and New York City Marathon winner Albert Korir.
Lemma, who has a PB of 2:03:36, has unfinished business in Boston. He placed 30th in 2019 and failed to finish in 2017. Korir will be making his Boston debut, but his New York victory in 2021 and runner-up finish in 2019 means he’ll be one to watch on Monday.
Additional reporting from World Athletics
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