Evans Chebet, a promising Kenyan runner, was considered a strong candidate to replace the late Kelvin Kiptum in Kenya’s marathon team. With an impressive track record of placing in the top four in 27 marathons and dropping out only once, Chebet had raised hopes among Kenyan athletics fans for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games marathon team. However, his name was notably absent from the recent five-man list released by Athletics Kenya, leaving many fans disappointed.

In response to the exclusion, Chebet’s coach Claudio Berardelli explained that Chebet might not have expressed 100% interest in participating when Athletics Kenya initially sought interest from the athletes. Berardelli attributed this to Chebet nursing an injury and feeling pressure due to the upcoming Boston Marathon, which would be his 29th marathon. However, he expressed that Chebet is now ready and willing to discuss his potential participation with Athletics Kenya following his performance in Boston.

Despite the setback, Chebet was gearing up to compete in the highly anticipated Boston Marathon, aiming to secure his third title on April 15. With a personal best of 2:03:00, he was considered a favorite alongside other top runners such as Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma and the Kenyan trio of Albert Korir, Edward Cheserek, and Cyprian Kotut. Berardelli remained confident in Chebet’s abilities, emphasizing his experience and familiarity with the Boston course.

He acknowledged the race’s challenges but expressed optimism about Chebet’s motivation and readiness to tackle the competition.