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If he is to defend his title, he will have to defeat Kipchoge who will be debuting in Boston.
Defending champion Evans Chebet is bubbling with confidence ahead of his encounter with world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge at the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17.
Chebet, who won last year’s race in 2:06:51, will be looking to become the first man to repeat in Boston since Robert Cheruiyot won three straight editions from 2006-2008. If he is to accomplish that feat, he will have to defeat Kipchoge who will be debuting in Boston.
Speaking to LetsRun.com, the 2022 New York City Marathon believes he can pull off a surprise when he lines up against favourite Kipchoge.
“Eliud is an incredible athlete and it’s an honour to go up against him. I don’t shy away from competition; I embrace the challenge.
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The Boston Marathon is scheduled for April 17.
I’m coming into Boston feeling strong and confident in my training. I look forward to running my race and believe the results will speak for themselves,” Chebet said.
He revealed that his training has gone well and there have been no changes made since it was the same routine that saw him clinch the title last year. He added that he has not encountered any setback during his training for the highly anticipated race and he is ready for the challenge.
“Nothing too drastic has changed in my training ahead of Boston this year compared to last year. I’ve been focusing on keeping my body healthy in the lead up and making sure I get to the start line in the best shape possible.
The times I’m hitting in sessions and long runs have given me great confidence going into the race. I’ve not had any major injuries or setbacks in the build-up. My body feels prepped and ready going into Boston,” Chebet added.
He trains with the 2 Running Club alongside the 2022 Chicago Marathon champion Benson Kipruto and the 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto.
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This year's Boston Marathon is scheduled for Monday, April 17.
Chebet will be joined by Benson in the race and he is optimistic they will implement teamwork but everyone will also have to focus on their own goals.
He added that training with the trio has been a blessing to him as they usually support and encourage each other to improve.
“It is always great to have a familiar face on the course, but at the same time, we are each other’s competition and both have individual goals for the race. We are rivals but we are not enemies – having a training mate is an advantage because we can help each other interpret how the race is evolving,” he said.
As a marathoner, Chebet prides in the fact that he has the ability to know when he can make the decisive move in a race. He revealed that his tactics and mental toughness always come through for him during race days and that is his biggest strength.
Chebet did not start out his career as a champion and he face s many challenges along the way. In the early stages of his career, he finished second in six of his 10 marathons. He said he knew his time would come but it would take time.
“Then of course from the moment I won my first marathon, things felt a bit easier as I started to gain more confidence in myself. I also learned that being a winner is not just a question of physical preparation and training, it also has a lot to do with your mindset,” he added.
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![[WATCH] Mary Moraa, Lestile Tebogo & Beatrice Chebet dance with joy after Diamond League victories](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/07092024/d2650404-7c36-426d-92be-aa3b34688ba1.jpg?operations=fit(600:))
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