Chemnung eyes breakthrough in second marathon test in Boston

After an impressive debut over the classic 42km distance last year, national 10,000m champion Loice Chemnung will be chasing a breakthrough performance when she lines up for her second career marathon at the Boston Marathon on April 20.

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Chemnung dipped her toes into marathon running at the 2025 Chicago Marathon, where she clocked a superb 2:18:24 to finish fourth, narrowly missing out on the podium and announcing her arrival on the world marathon stage.

Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa claimed victory in 2:14:57, followed by compatriot Megertu Alemu (2:17:18) and Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri (2:18:03).

That Chicago performance marked a significant milestone for Chemnung, who has been steadily building a strong reputation on the roads. Her transition from track to longer distances has been seamless.

She launched her half-marathon campaign in 2024 in emphatic fashion, claiming victories at the Malaga Half Marathon (1:05:58) and the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon (1:07:27), while also finishing second at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in 1:06:47.

Chemnung carried that momentum into last season, successfully defending her Malaga title in 1:05:46 and once again finishing runner-up in Antrim with 1:06:06.

In Boston, Chemnung will be part of a formidable Kenyan women’s contingent, led by defending champion Sharon Lokedi.

Lokedi claimed last year’s Boston crown in 2:17:22, edging fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri (2:17:41) and Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:18:06).

She heads into this year’s race on the back of a strong close to her 2025 season, highlighted by victory at the Boston 10K in 31:39, a second-place finish at the Copenhagen Half Marathon (1:05:00), and a runner-up showing at the New York City Marathon, where she clocked 2:20:07, behind Obiri (2:19:51).

Also representing Kenya is Irene Cheptai, the 2024 Chicago Marathon third-place finisher, who will be eager to improve on her Boston outing after placing fourth last year in 2:21:32.

Further depth comes from 2018 London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot, whose experience and pedigree add significant weight to the Kenyan challenge.

One of Kenya’s most decorated distance runners, Cheruiyot, will be hoping for a strong start to her season after a disappointing end to her 2025 campaign, which culminated in a DNF at the New York Marathon.

However, the Kenyans face stiff competition.

Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa, the reigning Osaka Women’s Marathon champion, looms as a major threat, while Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri, last year’s Boston third-place finisher, adds further intrigue to an already stacked women’s field.