2024 Boston Marathon Men’s Elite Field Announced: Evans Chebet Goes For The Threepeat, CJ Albertson Doubles Back After Trials

By Chris Chavez

January 19, 2024

The Boston Athletic Association announced its men’s elite field for the 2024 Boston Marathon on April 15.

Here’s what you need to know:

– There are eight men with personal bests under 2:05 in the field. The fastest personal best in the field belongs to Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, who ran 2:01:48 to win the 2023 Valencia Marathon in December. Lemma has one World Marathon Major victory on his resume with the 2021 London Marathon title.

Justin Britton / @JustinBritton

– 2023 champion Evans Chebet returns to defend his title after winning last year’s race in 2:05:54. He was unable to defend his New York City Marathon title last fall due to injury. He is looking to become the first man to win three consecutive Boston Marathon titles since Kenya’s Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot won in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Chebet is one of the most dominant marathoners in the world at the moment with six victories in his last seven marathon races. He was surprisingly not on Athletics Kenya’s shortlist for the 2024 Olympic team selection.

– Last year’s runner-up, Gabriel Geay of Tanzania returns after losing by just 10 seconds last year. He was fourth at the 2022 Boston Marathon.

Kevin Morris / @KevMoFoto

– Japanese record holder Suguru Osako is entered after finishing third in October's Marathon Grand Championship, which served as Japan’s marathon trials for the 2024 Olympics. Only the top two finishers (Naoki Koyama and Akira Akasaki) in Tokyo were automatically qualified for Paris. Osako is currently in a position to be selected. Another Japanese runner would have to run 2:05:50 or faster in February’s Osaka Marathon or March’s Tokyo Marathon to bump him off the team.

According to The Japan Times, he posted an Instagram video saying, "The bigger the fuss being made around me, the less enthusiasm I tend to feel. The race that I really felt like I wanted to run was the Boston Marathon…Of course, the Olympics are important, but I don't think it's necessary to obsess about them as much as some people do." Osako was sixth in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics.

– The top Americans in the field include the BAA’s Matt McDonald and 50K world record holder CJ Albertson. Both men will be competing in February’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando.

You can view the full men’s elite field below (Masters athletes from the 40+ division are denoted with an asterisk):

Sisay Lemma (ETH) - 2:01:48 (Valencia, 2023)
Evans Chebet (KEN) - 2:03:00 (Valencia, 2020)
Gabriel Geay (TAN) - 2:03:00 (Valencia, 2022) NR
Joshua Belet (KEN) - 2:04:18 (Amsterdam, 2023)
Ronald Korir (KEN) - 2:04:22 (Berlin, 2023)
Cyprian Kotut (KEN) - 2:04:34 (Amsterdam, 2023)
Haftu Teklu (ETH) - 2:04:43 (Berlin, 2023)
Shura Kitata (ETH) - 2:04:49 (London, 2018)
John Korir (KEN) - 2:05:01 (Chicago, 2022)
Mohamed Esa (ETH) - 2:05:05 (Amsterdam, 2022)
Suguru Osako (JPN) - 2:05:29 (Tokyo, 2020)
Sondre Moen (NOR) - 2:05:48 (Fukuoka, 2017) AR
Filmon Ande (ERI) - 2:06:38 (Barcelona, 2021)
Zouhair Talbi (MAR) - 2:06:39 (Houston, 2024)
Isaac Mpofu (ZIM) - 2:06:48 (Valencia, 2022) NR
Albert Korir (KEN) - 2:06:57 (New York City, 2023)
Kento Otsu (JPN) - 2:08:15 (Otsu, 2021)
Ryoma Takeuchi (JPN) - 2:08:40 (Hofu, 2023)
Segundo Jami (ECU) - 2:09:05 (Valencia, 2023) NR
Tsegay Tuemay (ERI) - 2:09:07 (Daegu, 2019)
Matt McDonald (USA) - 2:09:49 (Chicago, 2022)
David Nilsson (SWE) - 2:10:09 (Valencia, 2020)
Tristan Woodfine (CAN) - 2:10:39 (Houston, 2024)
CJ Albertson (USA) - 2:10:52 (Duluth, 2022)
Chris Thompson (GBR) - 2:10:52 (London, 2021)
Edward Cheserek (KEN) - 2:11:07 (New York City, 2023)
Nick Hauger (USA) - 2:12:59 (Sacramento, 2021)
Will Nation (USA) - 2:13:24 (Sacramento, 2021)
Joseph Whelan (USA) - 2:13:39 (Duluth, 2019)
Ilie Alexandru Corneschi (ROU) - 2:13:39 (Berlin, 2022)
Patrick Smyth (USA) - 2:13:47 (Sacramento, 2019)
Robert Miranda (USA) - 2:14:43 (Sacramento, 2023)
Kristoffer Mugrage (USA) - 2:15:17 (Sacramento, 2022)
Craig Hunt (USA) - 2:15:29 (Chandler, 2020)
Primoz Kobe (SLO) - 2:15:37 (Rotterdam, 2022)*
Aaron Gruen (USA) - 2:15:56 (Valley Cottage, 2023)
Lorenz Baum (GER) - 2:15:57 (Cologne, 2023)
Taiyo Akiyama (JPN) - 2:16:03 (Tokyo, 2023)
Andrew McCann (USA) - 2:17:07 (Sacramento, 2022)
Matt Rand (USA) - 2:17:11 (Valley Cottage, 2023)
Ryan Eiler (USA) - 2:17:16 (Philadelphia, 2023)
Prescott Leach (USA) - 2:17:30 (Sacramento, 2023)*
Qianyu Cheng (CHN) - 2:17:33 (Hangzhou, 2022)
Jason Ayr (USA) - 2:18:14 (Houston, 2022)
Grant O'Connor (USA) - 2:18:28 (Jersey City, 2023)
Mauricio Mendez Cruz (MEX) - 2:18:36 (Berlin, 2022)
Jared Schatz (USA) - 2:18:49 (Valley Cottage, 2023)
Jonathan Kotter (USA) - 2:19:00 (St. George, 2022)
Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) - 2:19:30 (Zurich, 2023)*
Miguel Morone (BRA) - 2:19:33 (Berlin, 2023)*
Dustin Bybee (USA) - 2:19:48 (St. George, 2023)*
Giles Rubio (FRA) - 2:20:14 (Valencia, 2022)*
Joel Conn (USA) - 2:20:16 Duluth, 2023)*
Tyler Butterfield (BER) - 2:21:47 (Otsu, 2019)* NR
Miguel Ferrer Muro (ESP) - 2:21:47 (Valencia, 2022)*
Roman Fosti (EST) - 2:22:16 (Tallinn, 2023)*
Meng-Tsung (Steve) Chu (TWN) - 2:22:54 (Edmonton, 2023)*
Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) - Debut

Chris Chavez

Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and is an aspiring sub-five-minute miler.

More by Chris Chavez