Dark Horse Tweaks to Boston Marathon Elite Lineup – Yuki? Remember Marshfield on New Year’s Day

With the current weather scenario for Boston, defending champion Yuki Kawouchi is looking better – not great – but better. We said “Marshfield” to Yuki this afternoon in the Copley in Boston and this brought a broad smile. Marshfield is where Yuki set the world record for most sub-2:20 marathons, and he did it with a negative split after needing the first loop to thaw out as temperatures barely budged from 1˚F.

Photo: In 2018, a victorious Yuki Kawauchi and handler/translator Brett Larner post-race in the Copley. Photo by FitzFoto/NERunner

After winning Boston last year, Yuki vowed to become a full-time runner, but he only left his full-time work position a week ago. He ran a 2:11:19 marathon in December. The prognosis: Yuki can handle the pain, and as evidenced from last year, he can handle a monsoon, but no doubt the rest of the field will be doubly cautious after last year and better work the weather into their race strategy.

If this is the case, then two-time Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa is as good a bet as any after dnfing last year. Desisa went on to win the NYC Marathon in 2:05:59.

Speculation can get blown out the window on a day like last year, which is what seems to be in store (somewhat) this time around.

Dark horse Ghirmay Ghebrselassie is out (sick). Ghebreselassie was 4th in the 2016 Olympic Marathon and won NYC that year, but dropped from his last two marathons.

Dark horse Zersenay Tadese is in. Tadese held the world half marathon record of 58:27 from 2010 to 2018. He was 8th in the finals of the Olympic 10,000m in 2017 in 27:21.

Weather related adjustments: The 4th wave will start right after the 3rd wave in Hopkinton. Challenged athletes, push rim wheelchair, prosthetic athletes, etc. are being offered an exemption from this year’s race with guaranteed entry into the 2020 race.

Other adjustments are as you would imagine: expanded medical help and facilities, including more Staffa along the course, heaters, faster bag retrieval , to name a few. So bring your ponchos and we’ll meet you in Boston for another wild weather hootenanny!

2019 BOSTON MARATHON JOHN HANCOCK ELITE MEN’S OPEN FIELD NAME COUNTRY PERSONAL BEST

Lawrence Cherono Kenya 2:04:06 (Amsterdam, 2018)

Sisay Lemma Ethiopia 2:04:08 (Dubai, 2018)

Lemi Berhanu Ethiopia 2:04:33 (Dubai, 2016)

Solomon Deksisa Ethiopia 2:04:40 (Amsterdam, 2018)

Lelisa Desisa Ethiopia 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013)

Kenneth Kipkemoi Kenya 2:05:44 (Rotterdam, 2018)

Felix Kandie Kenya 2:06:03 (Seoul, 2017)

Geoffrey Kirui Kenya 2:06:27 (Amsterdam, 2016)

Festus Talam Kenya 2:06:13 (Eindhoven, 2017)

Wesley Korir Kenya 2:06:13 (Chicago, 2012)

Philemon Rono Kenya 2:06:52 (Toronto, 2017)

Hiroto Inoue Japan 2:06:54 (Tokyo, 2018)

Benson Kipruto Kenya 2:07:11 (Seoul, 2018)

Dathan Ritzenhein USA 2:07:47 (Chicago, 2012)

Yuki Kawauchi Japan 2:08:14 (Seoul, 2013)

Zersenay Tadese Eritrea 2:08:46 (Berlin, 2018)

Abdi Abdirahman USA 2:08:56 (Chicago, 2006)

Mohamed Reda El Aaraby Morocco 2:09:16 (Chicago, 2018)

Hayato Sonoda Japan 2:09:34 (Oita, 2018)

Scott Overall Great Britain 2:10:55 (Berlin, 2011)

Jeffrey Eggleston USA 2:10:52 (Gold Coast, 2014)

Jared Ward USA 2:11:30 (Rio de Janeiro, 2016)

Elkanah Kibet USA 2:11:31 (Chicago, 2015)

Timothy Ritchie USA 2:11:56 (Sacramento, 2017)

Shadrack Biwott USA 2:12:01 (New York City, 2016)

Scott Fauble USA 2:12:28 (New York City, 2018)

Aaron Braun USA 2:12:54 (Houston, 2015)

Brian Shrader USA 2:13:31 (Sacramento, 2018)

2019 BOSTON MARATHON JOHN HANCOCK ELITE WOMEN’S OPEN FIELD NAME COUNTRY PERSONAL BEST

Aselefech Mergia Ethiopia 2:19:31 (Dubai, 2012)

Edna Kiplagat Kenya 2:19:50 (London, 2012)

Mare Dibaba Ethiopia 2:19:52 (Dubai, 2012)

Worknesh Degefa Ethiopia 2:19:53 (Dubai, 2018)

Meskerem Assefa Ethiopia 2:20:36 (Frankfurt, 2018)

Jordan Hasay USA 2:20:57 (Chicago, 2017)

Belaynesh Oljira Ethiopia 2:21:53 (Frankfurt, 2018)

Sharon Cherop Kenya 2:22:28 (Berlin, 2013)

Desiree Linden USA 2:22:38 (Boston, 2011)

Marta Megra Ethiopia 2:22:35 (Toronto, 2018)

Betsy Saina Kenya 2:22:56 (Paris, 2018)

Caroline Rotich Kenya 2:23:22 (Chicago, 2012)

Sara Hall USA 2:26:20 (Ottawa, 2018)

Eva Vrabcova Czech Republic 2:26:31 (Berlin, 2018) NR

Sally Kipyego USA 2:28:01 (New York City, 2016)

Krista Duchene Canada 2:28:32 (Toronto, 2013)

Alyson Dixon Great Britain 2:29:06 (London, 2017)

Lindsay Flanagan USA 2:29:25 (Frankfurt, 2018)

Becky Wade USA 2:30:41 (Sacramento, 2013)

Sarah Crouch USA 2:32:27 (Chicago, 2018)

Sarah Sellers USA 2:36:37 (New York City, 2018)

Mary Wacera Kenya 66:29 (Houston, 2016) 2019

BOSTON MARATHON JOHN HANCOCK ELITE MEN’S WHEELCHAIR FIELD NAME COUNTRY PERSONAL BEST

Marcel Hug Switzerland 1:18:04 (Boston, 2017)

Ernst van Dyk South Africa 1:18:04 (Boston, 2017)

Josh Cassidy Canada 1:18:25 (Boston, 2012)

Masazumi Soejima Japan 1:18:50 (Boston, 2011)

Hiroyuki Yamamoto Japan 1:19:32 (Boston, 2017)

Hiroki Nishida  Japan 1:20:28 (Boston, 2017)

Kota Hokinoue Japan 1:20:54 (Seoul, 2013)

Joshua George USA 1:21:47 (Boston, 2017)

Aaron Pike USA 1:22:09 (Boston, 2017)

Ryota Yoshida Japan 1:23:18 (Boston, 2017)

Krige Schabort USA 1:23:44 (Boston, 2012)

James Senbeta USA 1:24:27 (Boston, 2017)

David Weir  Great Britain 1:26:17 (Boston, 2016)

Daniel Romanchuk USA 1:26:26 (Boston, 2017)

Brian Siemann USA 1:26:46 (Boston, 2017)

Patrick Monahan Ireland 1:29:10 (Seoul, 2017)

Johnboy Smith Great Britain 1:29:44 (Berlin, 2018)

Tristan Smyth Canada 1:29:53 (Berlin, 2018) 2019

BOSTON MARATHON JOHN HANCOCK ELITE WOMEN’S WHEELCHAIR FIELD NAME COUNTRY PERSONAL BEST

Manuela Schar Switzerland 1:28:17 (Boston, 2017)

Amanda McGrory  USA 1:33:13 (Boston, 2017)

Susannah Scaroni  USA 1:33:17 (Boston, 2017)

Tatyana McFadden USA 1:35:05 (Boston, 2017)

Sandra Graf Switzerland 1:35:44 (Padua, 2008)

Margriet Van Den Broek Netherlands 1:38:33 (Boston, 2017)

Madison De Rozario Australia 1:39:22 (Chicago, 2017)

Katrina Gerhard USA 1:40:34 (Boston, 2017)

Diane Roy Canada 1:40:37 (Beijing, 2008)

Arielle Rausin  USA 1:41:26 (Boston, 2017)

Aline de Rocha Brazil 1:41:40 (Duluth, 16)

Eliza Ault-Connell Australia 1:44:13 (Gold Coast, 2018) Michelle Wheeler USA 1:45:22 (Oita, 2018)

The 2019 Boston Marathon marks the 34th year of John Hancock’s landmark sponsorship of the legendary race. For additional information about the elite athlete program and sponsorship, please visit www.johnhancock.com/bostonmarathon/sportspartnerships.html or follow us @jhboston26 and @johnhancockUSA on Twitter.