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Boston Marathon - Previous Head-To-Head Results
by MarathonGuide.com Staff

Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot is the man to beat at Boston, with his four prior wins there (and three in the last three years), not to mention the course record. Other runners in the current field have faster personal bests, but not one of them has beaten Cheruiyot head-to-head since 2004. Meanwhile, the beginings of a rivalry may be forming between Ryan Hall and Deribe Merga. Hall finished ahead in the 2007 London Marathon, coming in fifth in 2:06:17, ahead of Merga's 2:06:39 sixth place finish; but in the 2008 Olympic Marathon, Merga beat Hall by six places and more than two minutes.

The elite athletes in this year's women's race have less history together, and while defending champion Dire Tune is back, none of the first seven runners-up from the 2008 race will be returning to Boston this year. Tune finished seventh in the 2008 New York Marathon with a time of 2:29:28, behind Kara Goucher's third place debut of 2:25:53; she also finished fifteenth in the Beijing Olympic Marathon, five places behind behind Salina Kosgei. She has shown signs of improvement in 2009, however, winning the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February in 67:18, a personal best by almost four minutes.

Who will lead, who will follow, who will win? We'll find out.

Men Boston - Apr 20, 2009 2 Daniel Rono (KEN) 2:09:32 3 Ryan Hall (USA) 2:09:40 5 Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:10:06 Frankfurt - Oct 26, 2008 1 Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:07:21 3 Stephen Kiogora (KEN) 2:08:24 7 Benjamin Maiyo (KEN) 2:09:58 London - Apr 13, 2008 5 Ryan Hall (USA) 2:06:17 6 Deriba Merga Ejigu (ETH) 2:06:39

Women Dubai - Jan 16, 2009 1 Bezunesh Bekele (ETH) 2:24:02 2 Atsede Habtamu (ETH) 2:25:17 3 Helena Kirop (KEN) 2:25:35 4 Tatyana Petrova (RUS) 2:25:53 New York City - Nov 2, 2008 3 Kara Goucher (USA) 2:25:53 7 Dire Tune (ETH) 2:29:28 New York City - Nov 6, 2005 4 Salina Kosgei (KEN) 2:25:30 8 Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) 2:27:48