Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge will participate in the Boston Marathon for the first time on Monday, as he seeks to win all six world marathon majors, which include Berlin, Tokyo, London, Chicago, New York, and Boston.
Kipchoge, the two-time Olympic marathon champion and world record holder, has never run Boston’s 26.2 mile course, which includes hills and a sharp climb.
Kipchoge has stated that his focus is on winning, and has downplayed the possibility of breaking the course record. Monday’s race marks the 10th anniversary of the 2013 bombing that occurred near the finish line, which left three people dead and nearly 300 injured.
David Ortiz, a Boston Red Sox icon who gave a rallying speech after the bombing, will serve as Grand Marshal for the race.
