Lawrence Cherono

Lawrence Cherono (born August 7, 1988) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He is currently the 8th fastest marathon performer of all time with his 2:03:04 clocking at the 2020 Valencia Marathon. Cherono is a past winner of both the Boston and Chicago marathons.

In 2024, Cherono received a seven year competition ban backdated to 2022 following an admission of breaching anti-doping rules.

Career
He clocked 2:04:06 to win the Amsterdam Marathon on October 21, 2018. He also won the Amsterdam Marathon in 2017, running a time of 2:05:09, setting the course record, which he broke in 2018.

On 15 April 2019, Cherono won the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:07:57. He out-sprinted two-time Boston winner and World Championship Silver medalist Lelisa Desisa on the final block of Boylston Street.

On 13 October 2019, Cherono won the 2019 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:05:45. He out-kicked three other runners in the final 200 meters to win the race. In 2020 Cherono raced the Valencia Marathon, where he placed 2nd in a new personal best time of 2:03:04.

He qualified to represent Kenya at the 2020 Summer Olympics. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games men's marathon Cherono placed 4th getting out sprinted by Abdi Nageeye and Bashir Abdi, while Eliud Kipchoge won.

Doping violation and competition ban
On July 16, 2022, Cherono was suspended from major marathons after testing positive for trimetazidine, a heart medication listed on the 2022 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List as a metabolic modulator and performance-enhancing drug. On June 12, 2024, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced an additional charge against Cherono of tampering with the anti-doping process.

Following a two-year investigation during which Cherono denied the allegations, nevertheless in July 2024, Lawrence Cherono admitted to breaching three anti-doping regulations. He received a four-year ban for the use and presence of Trimetazidine and a four-year ban for tampering with the rules. The combined eight-year ban was reduced to seven years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) due to his early admission and acceptance of the sanction.