Defending champions Hellen Obiri and Sisay Lemma are returning to run Boston Marathon – The Boston Globe

“Boston annually brings together the world’s best each April, and this Patriots Day is no different,” said Jack Fleming, CEO of the BAA. “Coming off an Olympic year, top contenders from around the world have turned their attention to Boston and hope to etch their name into Boston Marathon lore with a victory.”

The last woman to win three straight Boston Marathons was Fatuma Roba in 1997-99. Just three others — Bobbi Gibb (1966-68), Sara Mae Berman (1969-71), and Uta Pippig (1994-96) — have three-peated.

Among the threats to Obiri’s bid are Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso and Yalemzerf Yehualaw, whose personal bests top the women’s field, at 2:14:58 and 2:16:52, respectively.

Sharon Lokedi, who finished second last year, also will return, along with fellow Kenyans Edna Kiplagat (a two-time Boston winner), Irine Cheptai, Viola Chepngeno, and Mary Ngugi-Cooper.

The BAA said the women’s race will include the best-ever field of Americans, with 2018 champion Desiree Linden joined by Dakotah Popehn, Keira D’Amato, Emma Bates, Jessica McClain, Sara Hall, Sara Vaughn, and Lindsay Flanagan.

Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, who finished 41 seconds ahead of the second-place men’s finisher last year, will face a deep field trying to keep him from repeating.

It includes Kenya’s Evans Chebet, who finished third last year and has won Boston twice. John Korir and Albert Korir, also from Kenya, will be back as well, after finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, last year.

“I was very happy after winning the Boston Marathon last year, and in 2025 I know it will be an even bigger challenge to win again,” said Lemma. “I was unlucky, because of an injury, not to be able to participate at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and I was not completely ready at the Valencia Marathon last December, but I will be 100 percent ready next April because the Boston Marathon is a special event.”

Among American men, Olympians Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in Paris last summer, will run Boston. So will CJ Albertson, who finished seventh last year and first among US men. Also in the Boston field will be four runners who finished in the top 10 at last year’s US Olympic trials: Zach Panning, Nathan Martin, Reed Fischer, and Colin Bennie.

Michael Silverman can be reached at michael.silverman@globe.com.