Hellen Obiri, Sisay Lemma Return to Defend Titles at Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America

January 8, 2025

Professional Open Division to feature athletes from 20 countries, including Olympic medalists, Boston champions, and Top American Talent

BOSTON (January 8, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced that Hellen Obiri (Kenya) and Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) will return to defend their Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America titles, headlining a field that includes 21 sub-2:09 men and 17 sub-2:23 women. Obiri seeks to become the first woman to three-peat since Fatuma Roba did so from 1997-1999.

In addition to two consecutive wins on the streets of Boston, Obiri earned a bronze medal at the Olympic Marathon in Paris and was runner-up at the TCS New York City Marathon in November. Sisay’s 2:01:38 lifetime best ranks fastest among the men’s field, and his winning margin last April was 41 seconds.

“Boston annually brings together the world’s best each April, and this Patriots’ Day is no different,” said Jack Fleming, CEO of the Boston Athletic Association. “Coming off an Olympic year, top contenders from around the world have turned their attention to Boston and hope to etch their name into Boston Marathon lore with a victory.”

HELLEN OBIRI RETURNS AIMING FOR HISTORIC THREE-PEAT

Only four women have won three consecutive Boston Marathon Open Division titles – Bobbi Gibb, Sara Mae Berman, Uta Pippig, and Fatuma Roba. Trying to prevent Obiri’s three-peat will be a host of international and U.S. stars. Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso and Yalemzerf Yehualaw have the fastest lifetimes bests in the field (2:14:58 and 2:16:52, respectively) with Beriso finishing second in 2023 and serving as the reigning world champion. Also from Ethiopia is 2023 Sydney Marathon runner-up Rahma Tusa and Buze Diriba, fourth at Boston and Chicago last year.

“Defending a win is never easy, and to win the Boston Marathon twice in a row was hard, but I am happy to have done it,” said Obiri. “On race day I will again push for the win and hope to make it three in a row.”

Toughness and experience are often rewarded in Boston, and Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat, Sharon Lokedi, Irine Cheptai, Viola Chepngeno, and Mary Ngugi-Cooper have just that. Kiplagat is a two-time Boston winner (2017 and 2021); Lokedi was second last year in Boston and fourth at the Olympic Marathon in Paris; Cheptai has earned four medals at the World Cross Country Championships; Chepngeno won the Boston Half in 2022; and Ngugi-Cooper has five top ten finishes in Boston. Together with Obiri and 2012 winner Sharon Cherop, the Kenyan contingent is perhaps the deepest in race history.

Speaking of champions, 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden will line up in Hopkinton for the 12^th time, headlining the fastest ever U.S. women’s squad assembled in Boston which includes 14 athletes with sub-2:26 personal bests. Joining Linden will be Dakotah Popehn, 12th at the 2024 Olympic Marathon; Keira D’Amato, the former American marathon record holder; Emma Bates, top American at the last two Bostons; Jessica McClain, fourth at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in both the marathon and 10,000m; Sara Hall, national master’s record holder; Sara Vaughn, top American at the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, and Lindsay Flanagan, ninth at the 2023 World Championships.

Among the 20 countries represented in the professional field are Romania’s Joan Melly, a past B.A.A. 10K champion and 2:18:24 marathoner, as well as Great Britain’s Calli Hauger-Thackery who finished seventh at the 2024 Berlin Marathon in 2:21:34.

SISAY LEMMA LOOKING TO REPEAT RUNAWAY 2024 WIN

Five of the top seven men’s finishers from last year’s Boston Marathon return, led by reigning champion Sisay Lemma. Many of Lemma’s challengers a year ago are ready for Round 2.

“I was very happy after winning the Boston Marathon last year, and in 2025 I know it will be an even bigger challenge to win again,” said Lemma. “I was unlucky, because of an injury, not to be able to participate at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and I was not completely ready at the Valencia Marathon last December, but I will be 100% ready next April because the Boston Marathon is a special event.”

Kenya’s Evans Chebet, the two-time Boston Marathon champion who was third in 2024 is back, as are 2024 fourth and fifth place finishers John Korir and Albert Korir. John Korir – winner of the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon – is the brother of 2012 Boston champion Wesley Korir.

A strong U.S. men’s group will match the depth of the U.S. women’s field. Olympic marathoners Conner Mantz and Clayton Young will lead the American charge. Mantz and Young come off eighth and ninth place finishes at the 2024 Olympic Marathon, and each finished in the top ten at the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon. Mantz’s lone Boston finish was 11th in 2023, though he has lowered his personal best to 2:08:12 in the years since. Last year’s top-USA finisher (seventh overall) CJ Albertson is Mr. Consistency, having run five marathons between 2:08:17 and 2:10:57 in 2024. Zach Panning, Nathan Martin, Reed Fischer, and Colin Bennie – all of whom finished in the top ten at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon – are entered.

Cybrian Kotut and Haymanot Alew were second and third at last fall’s Berlin Marathon and bring speed to the table, both with lifetime bests under 2:04. Daniel Mateiko of Kenya is a 58:17 half marathoner making his Boston debut, while Victor Kiplangat (the reigning world champion) seeks to become the first Ugandan to win Boston. Not to be forgotten are 2023 and 2024 Boston Half winners Abel Kipchumba and Yemane Haileselassie, nor cross country ace Muktar Edris who’ll race his first marathon. Two-time Boston Marathon winner Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia, whose last finish in Boston came in 2019, aims to be at the front of the field. Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu enters Boston coming off a fourth-place, 2:04:38 finish at last month’s Valencia Marathon.

A complete list of the Professional Open Division fields can be found below; updates to the start list will be made here as race day approaches.

Media credential applications for the 2025 Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America will open in February. Information will be posted to the B.A.A.’s Media Relations page in the coming month.

2025 BOSTON MARATHON PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S DIVISION

*Denotes Masters (40+) athlete

2025 BOSTON MARATHON PROFESSIONAL MEN’S DIVISION

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.) 

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The economic impact of the 2024 Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America produced $509.million in state and local economic activity. The 129th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 21, 2025.

The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Chris Lotsbom
Director of Race Communications & Media
Clotsbom@baa.org

Lorna Campbell
Head of Public Relations
Lcampbell@baa.org