Sharon Lokedi, racing just not for the Boston Marathon crown but a spot on the Kenyan Olympic team for Paris, went head-to-head with defending champion and countrywoman Hellen Obiri over the last few miles, before Obiri pulled away.
Lokedi, who splits time between Flagstaff and Kenya, finished eight seconds behind Obiri in 2:22:45 — an impressive run and a personal best. Ageless Edna Kiplagat, 44, placed third.
Impressive for Lokedi, but impressive enough to convice the Kenyan officials who will decide which rthree women will represent the country in the Olympics?
That’s to be determined. Without question, though, Lokedi showed she is a force to be reckoned with in the Marathon. She won New York in 2022 in her debut and finished third last year in New York. (She was injured and had to drop from Boston last year.) So, Lokedi showed once again that she can run on difficult, hilly courses, which is what runners will face in Paris.
Unlike in the United States, Kenya does not have a marathon trials. Rather, a panel will select three — and what a tough decision that panel will have to make.
In order to thoroughly impress the Kenyan officials, Lokedi needed a strong performance in Boston, and she got it. But Obiri and her famous kick was even more impressive. Obiri now has won Boston twice and captured in 2023.
Before Monday, Lokedi’s personal best is 2:23:23, set in New York. Though her times are not as impressive as other Kenyan women, she might gain some support from Kenya officials because she attempts difficult marathons — not glorified time trials on flat courses with pacers.
Obiri and Lokedi will have to wait and see how Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir and Ruth Chepngetich perform in the London Marathon. Both women are among the six finalists. Jepchirchir is the defensing Olympic Marathon champion, and Chepngetich has that speedy 2:14:18 personal best in Chicago in 2022; she is a two-time Chicago winner.
The other Kenyan under consideration is Rosemary Wanjiru, who won the Tokyo Marathon in 2023 and finished second this year; her P.R. is 2:16:14.
The top American woman was Emma Bates, 12th overall in 2:27:14. Flagstaff’s Sara Hall, running on her 41st birthday, finished 15th in 2:27:58, with Des Linden 16th in 2:28:27.
Among the men who either live or train in Flagstaff for most of the year, Japan’s Sguru Osako placed 13th in 2:11:44, McKirdy Trained’s Yemane Haileselassie 16th in 2:14:44, McKirdy Trained’s Tsegay Weldibanos 33rd at 2:20:00, and Coconino Community College cross country coach Craig Hunt 34th at 2:22:27.
Other Flagstaff finishers:
Ryan Guldan, 2:45:52
Ted MacMahon, 2:56:41
Sarah Mirey, 3:19:04
Stephanie Hunt, 3:21:20
Brenda Brethal, 3:22:33
Jessica Szczepanski, 3:28:12
Rebecca Blodgett, 3:31:28
Amanda Hicks, 3:35:52
Ronda Olson, 4:31:14
Tommy Rivers Puzey, 4:40:41
Leave a Reply