Defending champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya sprinted down Boylston Road to assert her second Boston win in a row on Monday, breaking the tape in 2:22:37, together with her buddy and compatriot, 2022 New York Metropolis Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi following her onto the rostrum in 2:22:45 (a private finest, in case you permit the online downhill Boston course to rely). Two-time Boston champion Edna Kiplagat (2017 and 2021), who’s 44, completed a powerful third, in 2:23:21.
The Boston Marathon elite ladies’s race was like a repeat of final 12 months’s New York Metropolis Marathon, when Obiri and Lokedi battled by Central Park with Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey. On Monday, Obiri pulled away from Lokedi at 41 km, and held on to win as the 2 turned onto Bolyston St.
“It’s laborious to defend your title–I didn’t hand over,” Obiri mentioned after the race. “I saved telling myself that my household was watching, and I knew the Olympics had been on the road.” Obiri is the primary lady to win back-to-back Boston Marathons since Katherine Ndereba of Kenya, who gained in 2004 and 2005. (Ndereba additionally gained in 2000, 2001 and 2002.)
Obiri is the sixth lady to win back-to-back Boston Marathons. That is her third marathon win in a row, and can undoubtedly cement her choice for the Kenyan nationwide workforce for the Paris Olympics in August, the place she’s going to possible be the favorite.
Lokedi was a late scratch to this race in 2023, and needed to wait till this 12 months to make her first look. Lokedi was third eventually 12 months’s New York Metropolis Marathon.
A tactical race
Obiri and Lokedi’s run alongside Commonwealth Avenue got here after a really tactical race that noticed a pack of round 20 ladies working collectively for for much longer than we often see in marathons. Lastly, at about 32 km, it broke all the way down to a pack of 11, then dropped to 5, then three.
Contemplating the highest professionals count on to race the Olympic marathon in just a little over three months from now, none had been fascinated about working any tougher than completely crucial, and sat patiently within the pack till the ultimate phases. The U.S.’s Emma Bates, who was the highest American at Boston final 12 months, ending fifth, tried to maintain the tempo trustworthy, main for a lot of the race, after recovering from a plantar tear that took her out of the US Olympic trials in February; she was the highest American once more this 12 months, however was properly again of her placement final 12 months, ending twelfth.
It was additionally heat–20 C or larger for a lot of the race. This was most likely an element within the males’s race additionally, which was dominated nearly from the beginning by Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, who ran solo to victory, with nobody in sight behind him for a lot of the race. Contemplating Lemma’s earlier dangerous luck in Boston (he DNF’d in 2017 and was thirtieth in 2019), they most likely figured he would blow up–but additionally that it was too dangerous to go after him within the warmth.
Prime 10 ladies
1. Hellen Obiri KEN 2:22:37
2. Sharon Lokedi KEN 2:22:45
3. Edna Kiplagat KEN 2:23:21
4. Buze Diriba ETH 2:24:04
5. Senbere Teferi ETH 2:24:04
6. Mary Ngugi-Cooper KEN 2:24:24
7. Worknesh Edesa ETH 2:24:47
8. Fatima Gardadi MOR 2:24:53
9. Tiruye Mesfin ETH 2:24:58
10. Dera Dida ETH 2:25:16
U.S. ladies
Emma Bates was the highest U.S. lady at this 12 months’s Boston Marathon, ending twelfth in 2:27:14. Sara Corridor was second (fifteenth lady, 2:27:58)–on her forty first birthday! And Des Linden was third (sixteenth, 2:28:27) amongst American ladies. This was Linden’s eleventh look at Boston. Jenny Simpson, 2011 world champion over 1,500m, scored her first marathon end (she DNF’d on the US trials in February), with a 2:31:39, which was adequate for 18th place.
Canadian outcomes
Canada’s Michelle Krezonoski of Toronto was the primary Canadian lady within the elite area, ending twenty third, in 2:38:23. (Anne-Marie Comeau didn’t begin.)
For full outcomes of the 128th Boston Marathon, click on right here.
Canadian Operating is on the 2024 Boston Marathon with Beneath Armour to have a good time the launch of the Velociti Elite 2, the model’s quickest carbon racing shoe thus far. You should definitely keep plugged into our socials on Instagram and X for every little thing Boston this weekend.
