NYRR Media Center

Evans Chebet is looking to become the first TCS New York City Marathon champion in the men’s open division to defend his title since Geoffrey Mutai did so a decade ago. In his TCS New York City Marathon debut last year, Chebet pulled away from the pack heading into Manhattan to win the men’s race in 2:08:41 seven months after winning the Boston Marathon. He became the eighth man in history to win both races in the same year and the first since 2011.

Chebet already defended his Boston title earlier this year, bettering his time to finish in 2:05:54 ahead of heavy favorite Eliud Kipchoge. The top finish marked his third consecutive victory at an Abbott World Marathon Majors race.

Chebet has now finished first or second in 13 marathons, with his first victory coming at the Buenos Aires Marathon in 2019. The following year, he won the Lake Biwa Marathon and then set a world-leading time that year of 2:03:00 in winning the Valencia Marathon. He has also finished in the top five in Berlin, Tokyo, and London.

He is married to Lilian Chepkemei, and together the two enjoy working on their farm in Kenya, harvesting wheat and corn while taking care of their three children. Chebet grew up the eight of nine children with few financial resources in Kenya – they could only afford to eat two meals a day – and his father, Kipyesang, was an accomplished runner before passing away from cancer at a young age. After working his way through the country’s running talent pipeline and winning New York last year, Chebet held his wedding with a thousand guests on hand, and purchased a new home for his mother.