Paris (AFP)
Chicago Sunday, then Boston Monday, two of the biggest marathons in the world follow each other in the United States for an exceptional sequence, however, deprived of the big stars of the discipline.
As a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, five of the six "major" marathons were grouped together in a six-week period.
After Berlin on September 26 and London on October 3 (instead of April usually), Chicago, at its usual date, and Boston, postponed from April, follow each other, before New York closes this unique autumn for the road race, November 7.
But faced with this tight schedule, and only two months after a grueling Olympic race in Sapporo, the main riders had to make choices.
The big stars of the 42.195 km, the Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge (rest) and Brigid Kosgei (London), and the Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele (Berlin, New-York), will not be in Chicago or Boston.
Chicago gave pride of place to the American stars with Sara Hall, 2nd in London in 2020 and Galen Rupp, Olympic bronze medalist in 2016, 8th in Sapporo in August and winner in Illinois in 2017. They will face the champion against them. 2019 Kenyan world champion Ruth Chepngetich (retired at the Games), her compatriot Reuben Kipyego, fast in Milan in May (2:03.55), or the Japanese record holder Kengo Suzuki (2:04.56).
The venerable Boston Marathon is betting for its 125th edition on slightly downgraded regulars: the Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa (winner in 2013 and 2015, retired in August at the Olympics), 2019 world champion, faces the 2017 Kenyan world champion Geoffrey Kirui, winner in Boston in 2017.
In women, the two-time Kenyan 2011 and 2013 world champion Edna Kiplagat, winner in 2017, faces the Ethiopian Mare Dibaba, world champion in 2015 and Olympic bronze medalist 2016.
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