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By David Monti, Race Results Weekly
(09-Feb) — Organizers of the Boston Marathon released their elite fields today, and defending champions Geoffrey Mutai and Caroline Kilel of Kenya will be facing very strong competition as they run from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay in the 116th edition of America’s oldest marathon.
The event, part of the five-race World Marathon Majors series, is scheduled for Monday, April 16, Patriots’ Day in the state of Massachusetts.
Ethiopia’s Gebre Gebremariam, the 2010 ING New York City Marathon from Ethiopia, and Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, the 2010 Boston Marathon champion from Kenya, lead the list of Mutai’s challengers.
Also competing from Kenya, organizers said, are 2011 Rotterdam Marathon winner Wilson Chebet (2:05:27 PB), 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon second place finisher Wesley Korir (2:06:15), last year’s third-placer at Chicago Bernard Kipyego (2:06:29), 2011 Fukuoka Marathon champion Josphat Ndambiri (2:07:36), 2011 BMW Frankfurt Marathon runner-up Levy Matebo (2:05:16), 2012 Xiamen Marathon winner Peter Kamais (2:07:37), 2011 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon champion David Barmasai (2:07:18), and 2011 Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half-Marathon champion Mathew Kisorio (2:10:58).
Two Americans, Jason Hartmann (2:11:06 PB) and Antonio Vega (2:13:47) are also entered.
The women’s field will also be power-packed. Chasing Kilel will be Kenyans Sharon Cherop and Caroline Rotich.
The Ethiopian women’s squad at Boston will be exceptionally good, led by national record holder Aselefech Mergia, who just won in Dubai in a blistering 2:19:31. Joining her will be the 1-2 finishers from last November’s ING New York City Marathon, Firehiwot Dado (2:23:15 PB) and Buzunesh Deba (2:23:19), and 2011 BMW Frankfurt Marathon champion Mamitu Daska (2:21:59).
Russians Galina Bogomolova (2:20:47 PB) and Alevtina Biktimirova (2:25:12) will also be in the field.
John Hancock’s 2012 Elite Boston Marathon Field
| MEN | Country | Personal Best |
|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Mutai | Kenya | 2:03:02 (Boston, 2011) CR, WB |
| Gebre Gebremariam | Ethiopia | 2:04:53 (Boston, 2011) |
| Levy Matebo | Kenya | 2:05:16 (Frankfurt, 2011) |
| Wilson Chebet | Kenya | 2:05:27 (Rotterdam, 2011) |
| Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot | Kenya | 2:05:52 (Boston, 2010) |
| Laban Korir | Kenya | 2:06:05 (Amsterdam, 2011) |
| Wesley Korir | Kenya | 2:06:15 (Chicago, 2011) |
| Bernard Kipyego | Kenya | 2:06:29 (Chicago, 2011) |
| David Barmasai | Kenya | 2:07:18 (Dubai, 2011) |
| Dickson Chumba | Kenya | 2:07:23 (Frankfurt, 2011) |
| Josphat Ndambiri | Kenya | 2:07:36 (Fukuoka, 2011) |
| Peter Kamais | Kenya | 2:07:37 (Xiamen, 2012) CR |
| Mathew Kisorio | Kenya | 2:10:58 (New York, 2011) |
| Frankline Chepkwony | Kenya | 2:10:59 (Nairobi, 2011) |
| Jason Hartmann | US | 2:11:06 (Chicago, 2010) |
| Michel Butter | Netherlands | 2:12:59 (Amsterdam, 2011) |
| Antonio Vega | US | 2:13:47 (Boston, 2010) |
| WOMEN | Country | Personal Best |
|---|---|---|
| Aselefech Mergia | Ethiopia | 2:19:31 (Dubai, 2012) CR, NR |
| Galina Bogomolova | Russia | 2:20:47 (Chicago, 2006) |
| Mamitu Daska | Ethiopia | 2:21:59 (Frankfurt, 2011) CR |
| Caroline Kilel | Kenya | 2:22:36 (Boston, 2011) |
| Sharon Cherop | Kenya | 2:22:42 (Boston, 2011) |
| Ashu Kasim | Ethiopia | 2:23:09 (Xiamen, 2012) |
| Firehiwot Dado | Ethiopia | 2:23:15 (New York City, 2011) |
| Buzunesh Deba | Ethiopia | 2:23:19 (New York City, 2011) |
| Rita Jeptoo | Kenya | 2:23:38 (Boston, 2006) |
| Agnes Kiprop | Kenya | 2:23:54 (Frankfurt, 2011) |
| Caroline Rotich | Kenya | 2:24:26 (Boston, 2011) |
| Georgina Rono | Kenya | 2:24:33 (Eindhoven, 2011) CR |
| Alevtina Biktimirova | Russia | 2:25:12 (Frankfurt, 2005) |
| Genet Getaneh | Ethiopia | 2:25:57 (Amsterdam, 2011) |
| Tatyana Pushkareva | Russia | 2:26:14 (Boston, 2010) |
| Diana Sigei | Kenya | 2:26:53 (Dubai, 2011) |
| Nadezdha Leonteva | Russia | 2:31:57 (Moscow, 2011) |
(c) 2012 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission
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