The 2021 New York Marathon champion, Albert Korir, has been forced to withdraw from Monday’s Boston Marathon after sustaining a serious ankle injury during a training session.
Korir, 31, took to Instagram to confirm the setback and express deep disappointment over missing the prestigious World Marathon Major.
"It’s with pain in my heart (and ankle) that I won’t compete in Boston this year."
"I was putting in hard work ahead of the race, but unfortunately, I twisted my ankle during training last Saturday," he wrote.
The 31-year-old, who has a personal best of 2:06:57 from his third-place finish in New York 2023, admitted that the unforgiving Boston course demands nothing short of peak fitness.
"It's been a tough decision to make. But being in Boston and competing with the best is only possible when you're 100 per cent physically okay," he noted.
Korir made his Boston debut in 2022, clocking 2:08:50 for sixth place in a race dominated by Kenyans.
Evans Chebet (2:06:51) led a clean sweep ahead of Lawrence Cherono (2:07:21) and Benson Kipruto (2:07:27).
In 2023, Korir improved to fourth, clocking 2:08:01 behind Chebet (2:05:54), Tanzania's Gabriel Geay (2:06:04) and Kipruto (2:06:06).
Last year, he placed fifth in 2:07:47. Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma (2:06:17), Mohamed Esa (2:06:58) and Chebet (2:07:22) completed the podium in that race.
Despite the injury setback, Korir was gracious in his message to race organisers and fans, pledging to bounce back stronger.
"Thank you, Boston, for the trust you have had in me year after year."
Success to all the champions who will compete on Monday. I will be cheering you from home, and I believe I will be back stronger," he stated.
The decorated marathoner’s road resume includes wins in Ottawa 2019 (2:08:03), Vienna 2017 (2:08:40) and Houston 2019 (2:10:02).
His biggest career moment came in 2021, when he conquered the streets of New York in 2:08:22, leading Mohamed Reda EL Aaraby (2:09:06) and Italy's Eyob Faniel (2:09:52).
He holds runners-up finishes from New York 2023 (2:06:57) and 2019 (2:08:36), Barcelona 2016 (2:10:08) and Cape Town 2018 (2:09:02).
Last year, he placed third in New York, clocking 2:08:00 behind Netherlands Abdi Nageeye (2:07:39) and Chebet (2:07:45).
