Exclusive: Hellen Obiri Eyes Historic Boston Marathon Three-Peat

Kenyan great Hellen Obiri has a host of medals from her career on the track to the roads, but the 2025 Boston Marathon could etch her name in the annals of history.  

The 34-year-old is a two-peat Boston Marathon gold medallist and Olympic marathon bronze medallist. She is among the favourites for the 2025 Boston Marathon slated for Monday 21 April 2025. 

Obiri on course to making history

She will be attempting to make history as the fifth woman to win the marathon three times in a row. Only four women; Bobbi Gibb, Sara Mae Berman, Uta Pippig, and Fatuma Roba have achieved this feat before.

If history is anything to go by, Obiri is best placed to make history. She has been on the podium in five of the six marathons she has run. 

In addition to her two Boston titles, she won the New York City Marathon in 2023, finished second there in 2024, and won the Olympic bronze medal in Paris. The only blemish on her marathon record was her sixth-place finish at her debut in New York in 2022.

The 34-year-old who trains in Boulder, Colorado, with the On Athletics Club recently moved to Kenya for a rigorous 10-week training program in Ngong, Kajiado County. Known for its hilly terrain, Ngong offers a unique advantage that complements the climatic conditions of her training base in the United States.

Speaking to Sportsboom.com during the National Olympic Committee of Kenya’s (NOC-K) Gender Conference in Nairobi, Obiri noted that she officially started her training on Monday, 27 January. 

With now less than three months to go, she remained optimistic that she would be ready for the marathon.

“I have less than three months to the Boston Marathon. When I resumed my training on Monday, I knew I needed just like 12 weeks for training. So far, so good. Things are going on well. You know this body needs to be healthy and injury-free,” she told SportsBoom.com. 

Decision to move to the USA

Obiri moved away from her family in September 2022 to train in the USA in pursuit of more global titles. At first, she left her husband Tom and daughter Tania back in Kenya, but the family has now settled in Boulder, Colorado. 

“I will be training in Kenya for two and a half months before flying to the United States for the final touches. Traveling from Kenya to the US is a long journey. You know defending my title for a third consecutive time needs extra hard training,” she revealed.

Confidence has always been her armour. She is a woman not afraid to push the boundaries to achieve her goals and dreams. This will be the case as she lines up against her opponents in April.  

“When I go to the races, I always tell myself that I am the best and I will work extra hard to prove that I am the best,” she averred.

Pressure to perform in Boston

At the same time, Obiri admitted that she is under immense pressure to be at her best. The two-time world 5000m champion knows that expectations are high, especially with her status as the defending champion. 

The pressure is however justified, given the caliber of athletes she will be up against. 

“I am under pressure because looking at the entry in women’s field, they are so strong. There are strong Kenyans, Ethiopians, Americans, etc., and everybody will be looking at me as the defending champion. This pressure helps me during training."

"For instance, when I want to add some hours of sleep, I remind myself of the strong field and I wake up and go for training. When you are the defending champion, you always need to send a message to the world that you can retain your title,” she disclosed.

Her biggest rivals for the marathon?

“Amane Beriso; Ethiopian who was third in the 2023 Boston Marathon, Edna Kiplagat who has that experience, Irene Cheptai, and you will never underrate anybody. Anyone can win. I remember in Boston 2023; a lot of people did not expect me to win. Everybody was surprised when I won,” she revealed.

Mission to represent Kenya at World Championships

Beyond the title, Obiri is on a mission to secure a place in Team Kenya for the World Championships in Tokyo. She believes the World Championships will present another golden opportunity for her to chase the elusive gold medal after settling for bronze during the Paris Olympics. 

“In Kenya, you need to be in top shape to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo and that is what I am doing. We have Boston, Tokyo, and London Marathon which Athletics Kenya (AK) will be using to select the team. I hope I will be among them. When I get that chance, I will represent my country well,” she said.

Transitioning from track to road races

In 2019 Obiri became the first woman to win world titles in outdoor track, indoor track, and cross-country events. From the 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10000m, 10km road running, half marathon, and finally the full marathon, Obiri has been there and done that.

“Transitioning from track to road races has not been easy. Sometimes it needs a lot of patience. Marathons need patience and you need to train very hard and every time, you learn new experiences. You never stop learning,” she offered.

There is little doubt about Obiri's heart for the race and the Boston Marathon will be the perfect way to prove it.