'I see three guys' - Evans Chebet worried of duo in his quest to reclaim the 2024 New York City Marathon

'I see three guys' - Evans Chebet worried of duo in his quest to reclaim the 2024 New York City Marathon

Evans Ousuru 08:00 - 02.11.2024

The 35-year-old will look to recapture the title he won in 2022 after an injury ruled him out of last year's edition

Reigning Boston marathon champion Evans Chebet has tipped two athletes to challenge him for the gold medal at the New York City marathon set for November 3.

The 2024 New York City Marathon will be the 53rd edition of the annual marathon race and the platinum level race is set to be the last of six World Marathon Major events of the 2024 calendar year.

A tight battle is anticipated in the populous city as athletes try to end the 2024 season in style but Chebet thinks Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola and Belgium's Bashir Abdi are his biggest rivals for the gold. Chebet won gold in the 2022 edition and is looking to solidify his name on the course  as he eyes a second win over the distance.

“I see three guys,” the two-time Boston marathon champion told Olympics.com, naming off himself, Tola and Olympic silver medallist Abdi. "I’m ready. It’s not easy to defend a marathon major," Chebet said. Perhaps his sentiments are from experience experience of his back-to-back wins in Boston.

After missing the 2023 event due to injury, the 35-year-old returns with renewed vigor and a revised strategy, determined to prove he still belongs among the world’s marathon elite.

His absence in 2023 paved the way for Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola to clinch the title. He believes executing a tactical masterclass will be key for him to lay his hands on the title.

“This time, training is good. I have trained well. There has been no disturbance in training, so I decided to come back here (New York) and win again, like in 2022. I’ve had to change tactics so that this time around, maybe I will challenge," he said.

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