By Peter Ochieng
Athletics Kenya (AK) has named a strong provisional men and women marathon squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
The squad is highlighted by two-time Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge. The legendary marathoner won gold during the 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
In France, he will be keen to write his name in history books as the first athlete to win three successive Olympics marathon titles.
Kipchoge was actually expected to go toe to toe with world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum in Paris, before Kiptum died in a tragic road accident in February, 2024.
Joining Kipchoge is Tokyo marathon champion Benson Kipruto, the 2022 Abu Dhabi marathon champion Timothy Kiplagat, the 2022 Madrid marathon champion Vincent Ng’etich, and the 2023 Prague marathon champion Alexander Munyao.
Besides Kipchoge, Kipruto will be followed with a keen eye, having won the Boston marathon in 2021, Chicago marathon in 2022 and Prague marathon in 2021.
The women’s team is headlined by Boston and New York marathon champion Hellen Obiri.
Obiri will be making her Olympics marathon debut, having ventured into full road race in November 2022.
Obiri previously competed at the Olympics games in 2016 and 2021 editions in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo respectively, where she won silver in the women’s 5000m on both occasions.
She will be joined by world half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, former women’s marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, 2019 world marathon champion Ruth Chepng’etich, the 2022 New York marathon champion Sharon Lokedi and the 2023 Tokyo marathon champion Rosemary Wanjiru.
Two-time Chicago marathon champion Kosgei will be keen on building on the silver she bagged in Tokyo.
On the other hand, Chepng’etich will be keen on a better outing this time round, after being forced to withdraw from the Tokyo marathon midway.