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Of the last 17 editions of the Boston Marathon Kenyan men have won all but two, and defending champion and course record holder Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot has nabbed three of those titles. According to an announcement by John Hancock Financial yesterday, Cheruiyot could be headed for a fourth Boston crown, keeping Kenyan dominance alive at America's oldest, still-contested marathon, founded in 1897.
Cheruiyot, the 2006/2007 World Marathon Majors champion who rebounded from extreme poverty and homelessness to become one of the world's finest athletes, first won in Boston in 2003. He had since come back to win twice more in 2006 --when he broke Cosmas Ndeti's 1994 course record-- and again last year when he had to contend with sheets of blowing rain as a Nor'easter pounded Boston.
"You know, Boston is not easy," said Cheruiyot deliberately after last year's victory. "It's very tough."
Cheruiyot's victory is by no means assured, and the man who was able to stay with him the longest before the finish last year, James Kwambai, is also entered. The tiny Kwambai has shown excellet form recently, taking second at last Sunday's Maratonina Roma-Ostia in Italy, equalling his half-marathon personal best of 1:00:22.
"Since I was young, I have worked hard to be a good athlete," the tiny Kwambai said in a statement. "I hope to be able to realize this dream by making a good result in the Boston Marathon."
Last October's Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion, Patrick Ivuti, will hope his success on Chicago's flat course in soaring heat can translate into a victory through the hills of Newton.
Other top Kenyans entered include last year's third place finisher, Stephen Kiogora; a past winner in Seoul and Rotterdam, William Kiplagat; past Boston and New York City runner-up, Christopher Cheboiboch; 2:07 marathoner Shadrack Kiplagat; and the runner-up at the Vienna Marathon last year, James Mwangi.
Ethiopia has also entered several men, including 2006 Paris champion Gashaw Melese Asfaw, and 21-year-old Yirefu Birhanu. Morocco will be sending Abderrahime Bouramdane, the runner-up at Seoul last year.
The 112th Boston Marathon will be held on Patriot's Day, Monday, April 21, the day after the USA Olympic Team Trials - Women's Marathon is held on a separate course using the same finish line in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. Race winners will receive $100,000.
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