Hellen Obiri has pledged to become the first Kenyan woman to win the Boston Marathon three times in a row, aiming to make history in the world’s oldest annual marathon.
Speaking to the media during a press run before the marathon, Obiri issued the bold declaration, expressing her desire to etch her name into the record books and follow in the footsteps of marathon legend Catherine Ndereba, who conquered the race on multiple occasions.
“I will be the first one to do it and I want to make it happen. I am ready, and I am here to make it happen. I am focused, and I want to go hard (in the race). I want to battle until the end,” Obiri asserted.
Obiri will compete in the race on Monday, April 21, facing strong competition, including two-time Boston winner Edna Kiplagat, 2022 New York Marathon winner Sharon Lokedi, 2012 Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop, 2023 runner-up Amane Beriso, and her Ethiopian counterpart Yalemzerf Yehualaw, the 2022 London Marathon champion.
Obiri first ascended to victory in the 2023 edition of the Boston Marathon, winning in a dramatic sprint finish against Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso and Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter. Remarkably, her triumph came in only her second-ever marathon, making her the first woman since 2007 to win Boston following a debut year.
She picked up right where she left off the following year, successfully defending her title and becoming the first woman to win back-to-back Boston Marathons since Catherine Ndereba (2004–2005). Unlike in 2023, Obiri controlled the race much earlier in the 2024 edition, finishing strong without relying solely on her sprint finish.
This year’s race is the most lucrative in Boston Marathon history, offering the largest prize purse among the six World Marathon Majors. The total prize money, including bonuses, stands at $1,141,000 (Ksh147.8 million).
If Obiri makes good on her promise and clinches a third victory, she stands to walk away with $150,000 (Ksh19.4 million) in prize money. A second-place finish guarantees $75,000 (Ksh9.7 million), while third place secures $40,000 (Ksh5.1 million). Additionally, breaking the course record of 2:19:59—set by Buzunesh Deba in 2014—would earn her an extra $50,000 (Ksh6.4 million).
A win on Monday would see Obiri become the first woman since Ethiopia’s Fatuma Roba to win the Boston Marathon three years in a row. Roba achieved the feat in 1997, 1998, and 1999. The first woman ever to do so, however, was Portugal’s Rosa Mota, who triumphed in 1987, 1988, and 1990.
Victory on Monday would not only place Obiri in an elite club but also put her on course to surpass the legacy of Catherine Ndereba, the most successful woman in Boston Marathon history with four titles (2000, 2001, 2004, and 2005).
Before transitioning to road racing, Obiri was a decorated track athlete renowned for her dominance in the 5,000m and 10,000m. She is also a multiple-time world champion in cross-country and indoor events.
In her time on the track, Obiri became a two-time World Champion in the 5,000m (2017 and 2019) and a double Olympic silver medalist in the 5,000m (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020). She began transitioning to road races and the marathon scene around 2022.
Aside from her exploits in the Boston Marathon, Obiri also won the 2023 New York City Marathon and is 3 for 3 in her last major marathons.
