第127屆波士頓馬拉松賽女子組選手將來自18國

 Global Medalists, National Record Holders, Olympians and Paralympians Among 127^th Boston Marathon Women’s Field

 

BOSTON—The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) proudly announced today the women’s professional field for the 127^th Boston Marathon, featuring decorated Open, Wheelchair and Para Athletics Division athletes from 18 countries. Among the field are global medalists, national record holders, Olympians and Paralympians, as well as five Boston Marathon champions.

 

“Each year the B.A.A. welcomes strong, competitive, and talented fields to Hopkinton, with athletes ready to race for 26.2 miles,” said Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Director of Professional Athletes & Technical Support. “This year’s field is among the fastest and most decorated professional fields in history, and we anticipate an exciting race from start to finish on Patriots’ Day.”

 

A total of 16 women entered in the field have run the marathon under 2 hours, 21 minutes. Making their Boston Marathon debuts are three athletes who notched impressive breakthrough performances in 2022: Israel’s Lonah Salpeter, Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi, and Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso. Last year Salpeter earned a bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships Marathon then placed second at the TCS New York City Marathon. Lokedi, a former NCAA champion at the University of Kansas, claimed victory in her debut marathon in New York City last fall, while Beriso ran the third fastest marathon time in history – 2:14:58—to win Valencia and set a new national record in December.

 

“I am very excited to run the B.A.A. Boston Marathon this year,” said Salpeter. “It has always been my dream to run these streets one day and to experience the incredible atmosphere. I am extremely grateful to the organization for inviting me to run in their city. For now, I am focused on my preparation and I look forward to seeing all the fans along the course in Boston!”

 

Last year’s second and third place finishers in Boston, Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia and Mary Ngugi of Kenya, both return with hopes of claiming the top spot on the podium. Yeshaneh came within four seconds of victory, while Ngugi has placed second and third in Boston. Also back is Joyciline Jepkosgei, a past winner of the New York City and London Marathons.

 

“Running Boston last year was an incredible experience, and I will never forget the crowd cheering down Boylston Street as I ran towards the finish line in an epic finish,” said Yeshaneh. “I can’t wait to return to race and hope to win that title that I lost by a few meters.”

 

“When it comes to Boston, for me it becomes more than a race,” said Ngugi. “The city is special, and special for me too. I have raced there so many times across different distances and the buzz from the fans all along the course is incredible and I even got married in Boston!”

 

Additional international standouts making their Boston Marathon debuts are Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya, who ran 2:17:29 for third in Valencia, and Ethiopia’s Hiwot Gebremaryam, runner-up in Berlin in 2021 and third at the B.A.A. Half Marathon in 2022.

 

Among the American contingent are Sara Hall, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Emma Bates, Nell Rojas, Dakotah Lindwurm, Laura Thweatt, Annie Frisbie, Sara Vaughn and Erika Kemp. Rojas has finished as the top American at Boston two years in a row (fifth in 2:27:12 in October 2021 and tenth, 2:25:57 in April 2022), while Hall and Bates finished fifth and seventh, respectively, at the 2022 World Athletics Championships Marathon in Eugene.

 

“I’m very excited to return to Boston once again,” said Rojas. “The excitement of the city and fans, quality of the professional field, and challenging course keeps drawing me back!”

 

Previously announced as competing in Boston this year are reigning world champion Gotytom Gebreslase as well as Boston Marathon champions Des Linden (2018), Edna Kiplagat (2017, 2021), and Atsede Baysa (2016).

 

Leading the wheelchair division field is four-time Boston champion Manuela Schär of Switzerland. Schär owns the Boston course record of 1:28:17, though will be challenged by Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XIV champion Susannah Scaroni (USA), Tokyo Paralympic gold medalist Madison de Rozario (Australia), and five-time Boston winner Tatyana McFadden (USA). A $50,000 course record bonus is available to any open division or wheelchair division athlete who breaks a course record.

 

“Boston is a very special place, home to fast times and many memories,” said Schär. “I look forward to returning to race again this year.”

 

Among the notable Para Athletics Division athletes returning to Boston are Lisa Thompson (T13/vision impairment) and Liz Willis (T63-64/lower-limb impairment), both of whom won division titles at last April’s race. Joining them is celebrated ultra-runner Jacky Hunt-Broersma, who timed 2:35:44 for the win at the 2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon and completed a record 104 marathons in consecutive days last year. For the third year, prize money is available for top finishers with vision, upper-limb, and lower-limb impairments within the Para Athletics Divisions.

 

“All of us at the Boston Athletic Association are eager to welcome every member of the 127^th Boston Marathon women’s professional field to Boston,” said Jack Fleming, President and Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “Another chapter of Boston Marathon history will unfold on the roads of Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston as we crown champions in our open, wheelchair, and Para Athletics divisions.”

 

The 127^th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 17, 2023 – Patriots’ Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts—and will feature 30,000 participants. The complete men’s professional field will be announced in the coming days. Since 1986, John Hancock has served as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon.

 

BOSTON MARATHON PROFESSIONAL FIELD – WOMEN’S OPEN DIVISION

^ signifies Boston Marathon Champion

*signifies Masters (40+) athlete

 

NAME	COUNTRY	PERSONAL BEST
Amane Beriso	Ethiopia	2:14:58 (NR)
Sheila Chepkirui	Kenya	2:17:29
Joyciline Jepkosgei	Kenya	2:17:43
Lonah Salpeter	Israel	2:17:45
Angela Tanui	Kenya	2:17:57
Fancy Chemutai	Kenya	2:18:11
Gotytom Gebreslase	Ethiopia	2:18:11
Hiwot Gebremaryam	Ethiopia	2:19:10
Edna Kiplagat^*	Kenya	2:19:50
Celestine Chepchirchir	Kenya	2:20:10
Maurine Chepkemoi	Kenya	2:20:18
Mary Ngugi	Kenya	2:20:22
Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet	Eritrea	2:20:29 (NR)
Sara Hall	USA	2:20:32
Ababel Yeshaneh	Ethiopia	2:20:51
Vibian Chepkirui	Kenya	2:20:59
Atsede Baysa^	Ethiopia	2:22:03
Desiree Linden^	USA	2:22:38
Viola Cheptoo	Kenya	2:22:44
Nienke Brinkman	Netherlands	2:22:51
Emma Bates	USA	2:23:18
Sharon Lokedi	Kenya	2:23:23
Dakotah Lindwurm	USA	2:25:01
Jessica Stenson	Australia	2:25:15
Laura Thweatt	USA	2:25:38
Nell Rojas	USA	2:25:57
Annie Frisbie	USA	2:26:18
Sara Vaughn	USA	2:26:23
Haruka Yamaguchi	Japan	2:26:35
Aliphine Tuliamuk	USA	2:26:50
Maggie Montoya	USA	2:28:07
Hanna Lindholm*	Sweden	2:28:59
Maegan Krifchin	USA	2:29:12
Militsa Mircheva	Bulgaria	2:29:23 (NR)
Jane Bareikis	USA	2:30:04
Sydney Devore	USA	2:31:07
Annmarie Tuxbury	USA	2:31:31
Kaitlin Goodman	USA	2:32:08
Kodi Kleven	USA	2:32:45
Jess Watychowicz	USA	2:33:09
Briana Boehmer*	USA	2:33:20
Nina Zarina	Russia	2:33:22
Jesse Cardin	USA	2:33:34
Savannah Berry	USA	2:33:42
Olivia Pratt	USA	2:34:22
Anne-Marie Blaney	USA	2:34:38
Mckale Montgomery	USA	2:35:01
Liza Howard	Canada	2:35:29
Esther Atkins	USA	2:36:32
Sylvia Bedford	USA	2:36:32
English Jackson Tomlinson	USA	2:36:51
Aisling Cuffe	USA	2:37:23
Rachel Coogan	USA	2:37:40
Claire McCarthy*	Ireland	2:38:26
Ann Centner	USA	2:38:30
Tennille Ellis	Australia	2:39:08
April Lund*	USA	2:39:23
Carmen Hussar*	Canada	2:39:51
Gina Rouse*	USA	2:41:19
Natasha Bliss*	Canada	2:43:28
Julie Lajeunesse*	Canada	2:44:49
Laurie Knowles*	USA	2:44:53
Jennifer Hughes*	USA	2:45:19
Jenny Hitchings*	USA	2:45:32
Hilary Corno*	USA	2:45:34
Rebecca Brown*	Australia	2:45:43
Erika Kemp	USA	Debut
Danielle Moreno	USA	Debut
Maria Coffin	USA	Debut

 

波士頓基金會社區基金贊助 余翠梅開課教亞裔自衛

余翠梅師傅率領自衛課學員紮馬步，出拳姿態。 (余翠梅提供)

華林功夫太極學校創辦人余翠梅傳授自衛術。 (周菊子攝)

           (Boston Orange 周菊子昆士市報導) 華林功夫太極學校創辦人余翠梅 (Mai Du) 經由波士頓基金會的亞裔社區基金贊助，1月7日下午在中華頤養院開了一堂免費的自衛術課程，教20幾名婦女在遇到壞人時該怎麼反擊，爭取逃跑時間。

                       自從新冠病毒疫情爆發，許多美國人認為亞裔是病源，2021年又發生喬治亞州按摩院槍擊案，6名亞裔女子被射殺等事件以來，亞裔社區揣揣不安，已有頗長一段時間。

余翠梅示範扯頭髮，不會太痛，但能藉此控制對手。她不好意思扯志工的頭髮，於是把
自己的兒子叫上台來示範。 (周菊子攝)

那些時日，大多數案件都發生在加州、紐約，住在麻州的人，雖然有點緊張，但總體感覺還好。可是2021年，僅只是昆士市就發生好幾宗亞裔被搶，無故被暴打的新聞，1名92歲受害者甚至還傷重得頭部縫了9針。

2022年底，昆士市又一連發生2宗亞裔受害罪案，1宗是駭人聽聞的26歲男子綁架、強暴64歲說台山話婦女，1宗是77歲老翁對著亞裔飆罵” 滾回中國” ，罵完還不解氣，竟開車撞人，還撞了2次。

中華頤養院創辦人之一的陳秀英親自出席，參加社區自衛課。 (周菊子攝)

這些事故，不但讓亞裔社區再度感到不安，也更加感到學會自衛的重要。於是有了波士頓基金會亞裔社區基金贊助余翠梅師傅舉辦4場自衛術課程，北安多福鎮也有施志敏等一群人，參加了槍證班，學習與槍有關知識，取得申請持槍執照的基本資格。

余翠梅的第一堂自衛課，1月7日下午在位於昆士市的中華頤養院舉行。中華頤養院創辦人之一的陳秀英，執行長Bill Graves，新任董事會董事長曲振生的夫人奚珍，都親自出席，還跟著練習。

中華頤養院執行長Bill Graves (右二)也上場當志工，讓余翠梅講解人體有哪些部位
比較脆弱。(周菊子攝)

余翠梅在二個多小時的課程中，教了擒拿，以拳重擊，以腳踩敵人腳趾等功夫，還示範四指內捲，姆指外包的握拳，以手臂把拳頭甩出時，手腕及手臂需呈直線，才能加重力道。余翠梅笑說人體從頭到腳，包括眼、耳、鼻、喉，後腦杓，胳肢窩，肋骨，側膝蓋等的不同部位，各有脆弱之處，該怎麼樣攻擊敵人，該怎麼自我防衛，才能為自己爭取逃跑時間等。

當天上課的幾乎全是女生，年紀不等，起初都覺得一旦遇到壞人，就糟糕了。上完課後，都很興奮，紛紛表示，這些自衛招數好像並不太難，尤其是有些人體部位，給了女生取巧的方便。

余翠梅事後也在臉書上貼文，稱上課的女生們，在課堂一開始時，都說一旦遭遇壞人，面對實際身體威脅，恐怕都不知道該怎麼辦，上完課，卻都信心滿滿，認為自己將來一定不會淪為受害者。

余翠梅接下來的幾堂自衛課將是1月14日到羅爾市，2月25日到屋斯特 (Worcester)，還有一場在摩頓市 (Malden)，日期未定。