Defending champion Evans Chebet won the men’s Boston Marathon as the great Eliud Kipchoge’s hopes of an unprecedented victory in a stacked field were dashed by unfavourable conditions.
Chebet, who becomes the first man to defend his Boston title since 2008, opened up a lead over the chasing pack at the iconic Heartbreak Hill.
The Kenyan held off the challenge of Tanzanian Gabriel Geay and the 2021 Boston Marathon champion Benson Kipruto to finish with a time of 2:05:54, the third-fastest time in race history.
Meanwhile, in the elite women’s race, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri came home 12 seconds clear of her nearest challenger. The 33-year-old, who took the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 5,000m, set a personal best time of 2:21:38 to claim her first-ever Marathon title.
The 38-year-old Kipchoge was hoping to win his fifth of the six major marathons and seal victory in one of the most decorated fields ever assembled, but the world record holder was separated from the leading pack after the 20th mile.
Kipchoge, a 12-time major marathon winner who was making his much-anticipated debut in Boston, finished sixth. It was only the third time Kipchoge has lost a race, following the 2013 Berlin Marathon and 2020 London Marathon, which was also a wet event.
Boston Marathon men’s results
Time (Official) |
|
1. Evans Chebet (KEN) |
2:05:54 |
2. Gabriel Geay (TAN) |
2:06:04 |
3. Benson Kipruto (KEN) |
2:06:06 |
4. Albert Korir (KEN) |
2:08:01 |
5. Zouhair Talbi (MOR) |
2:08:35 |
6. Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) |
2:09:23 |
7. Scott Fauble (USA) |
2:09:44 |
8. Hassan Chahdi (FRA) |
2:09:46 |
9. John Korir (KEN) |
2:10:04 |
10. Matthew McDonald (USA) |
2:10:17 |
Earlier, Marcel Hug of Switzerland captured his sixth men’s wheelchair Boston Marathon title, claiming the victory Monday in a course record of 1 hour, 17 minutes, 6 seconds in the first race of the day.
In the women’s wheelchair race, American Susannah Scaroni won her first Boston title, crossing the line in 1:41.45. Her victory followed runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2022.
And in the elite women’s race, Obiri triumphed ahead of Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso, who set a course record in December to win the Valencia Marathon.
Lonah Salpeter of Israel, Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia and the USA’s Emma Bates rounded out the top five.
Boston Marathon women’s results
Time (Official) |
|
1. Hellen Obiri (KEN) |
2:21:38 |
2. Amane Beriso (ETH) |
2:21:50 |
3. Lonah Salpeter (ISR) |
2:21:57 |
4. Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) |
2:22:00 |
5. Emma Bates (USA) |
2:22:10 |
6. Nazret Weldu (ERI) |
2:23:25 |
7. Angela Tanui (KEN) |
2:24:12 |
8. Hiwot Gebremaryam (ETH) |
2:24:30 |
9. Mary Ngugi (KEN) |
2:24:33 |
10. Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) |
2:24:34 |
The next big race on the calendar is the London Marathon, which takes place on 23 April. Four of the fastest men in history will be competing in the race, which will also mark Sir Mo Farah’s final entry.
