Kenyan runner Evans Chebet made history by becoming the first man since 2008 to successfully defend his title at the Boston Marathon. Chebet completed the race in a time of 2:05:54, while fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri achieved victory in her Boston Marathon debut, finishing with a time of 2:21:38. In the wheelchair division, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug broke his own course record and won for the sixth time with a finish of 1:17:06, while U.S. athlete Susannah Scaroni claimed her first Boston victory in the wheelchair race, finishing in 1:41:45.
Eliud Kipchoge, a renowned Olympic Champion and current world record-holder, made his debut in the Boston Marathon. In the early stages of the race, he led the pack with 13 other runners completing the first 7 miles in 32:41, which was four seconds faster than the course record. However, Heartbreak Hill lived up to its nickname, and Kipchoge struggled, falling behind the leading group. Eventually, he finished sixth with a time of 2:09:23. Kipchoge acknowledged the difficulty of the race and admitted that despite his best efforts, he couldn’t break the barrier to attain greater heights.
Meanwhile, Chebet patiently waited in the midst of the runners, together with his training partner Benson Kipruto, who won the 2021 Boston Marathon. As Kipchoge started to run on his own, falling behind by about 16 seconds, Gabriel Geay from Tanzania briefly took the lead of a decreasing group. Eventually, it boiled down to Geay, the fourth-placer from last year, and the two recent champions.According to Chebet, they had an agreement to stick together in the race with Kipruto. He said, “It was a mutual agreement that we would keep pace together, and this is what worked out well.”
In the Boston Marathon, Geay came in second place with a time of 2:06:04, followed closely by Kipruto in third place with a time of 2:06:06. The top American runner was Scott Fauble, who finished in seventh place with a time of 2:09:44. Chebet won the race with a time of 2:05:54, which is the third-fastest winning time in the history of the event.As for the women’s race, the leading group consisted of ten runners during the majority of the Newton Hills, with Emma Bates controlling the pace. Although she finished seventh in last year’s World Athletics Championships, it was Bates’ first time running the Boston Marathon. She maintained her lead until Mile 23 when Lonah Salpeter of Israel took over briefly.
As she emerged from Kenmore Square, Obiri was leading the pack. Her stride appeared to lengthen with each step as she dashed down Boylston Street, ultimately winning the race in the fourth-quickest time ever recorded at that location. When questioned about her experience running the distance in the TCS New York City Marathon last year, where she had a frustrating sixth-place finish, Obiri revealed, “We gained some new insights from our time in New York. I discovered the value of patience.”
Amane Beriso, an Ethiopian runner, secured second place with a time of 2:21:50 while Salpeter finished third with a timing of 2:21:57. The top American athlete, Bates, finished in fifth place with a timing of 2:22:10, which is the second-fastest timing ever by an American woman on this course.In the wheelchair races, Scaroni faced a challenge in the eighth mile when a loose wheel forced her to take a quick break for repairs. However, she had already built a substantial lead that allowed her to maintain her position, eventually finishing five minutes ahead of Madison de Rozario of Australia, who finished second with a timing of 1:46:45. Wakako Tsuchida of Japan, who had won this race five times consecutively from 2007-2011, finished in third place with a timing of 1:47:04 at the age of 48.
Manuela Schär, who is a four-time winner and also the defending champion, had to drop out of the race after completing 30 kilometers due to a flat tire. The racer known as the “Swiss Silver Bullet,” Hug, who is usually known for his downhill skills, started the race quickly and managed to build a lead of more than 10 minutes by the finish line over the second-placed Daniel Romanchuk, who completed the race in 1:27:45. Jetze Plat from the Netherlands secured the third position with a completion time of 1:28:35. After winning the race for the first time in her ninth appearance, Scaroni got emotional and said that it was extra special for her to win as she always puts in her best effort, and she knows everyone else does too.
Hug expressed his happiness with his performance in the race despite the challenging weather conditions. He found it unbelievable to complete the race in such circumstances and considered it an incredible achievement. If you want to see the results, track athletes or view leaderboards, they are accessible here. On Tuesday, April 18, a press conference for the Boston Marathon champions will take place at Fairmont Copley Plaza at 10:00 a.m.
The Fairmont Copley Plaza Grand Ballroom will host a conference showcasing former Boston Marathon champions including Evans Chebet, Hellen Obiri, Marcel Hug, and Susannah Scaroni, along with the presence of B.A.A. President and CEO Jack Fleming. Additionally, Eliud Kipchoge will make a brief appearance at the event. John Hancock will once again play the role of principal sponsor for the Boston Marathon for the 38th consecutive year.
>Read more:Step Up and Run: The Ultimate Guide to Conquering the 2023 Boston Marathon!
