BOSTON: Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia has won the Boston Marathon for the first time in his career, running the course in 2:06:17 hours on Monday, the tenth fastest time in the race’s history, reported German news agency dpa.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri defended her title, completing the course in 2:22:37 hours. Obiri is the first woman since 2005 to win the Boston Marathon twice in a row. Her Kenyan compatriot Sharon Lokedi came in second place, seconds later, followed by two-time Boston winner Edna Kiplagat (2:23:21) in third place, also from Kenya.
Lemma’s best result in his four previous starts was a 30th place, and he did not complete the course twice.
Defending champion Evans Chebet, who won the marathon in the last two years, came in third place with a time of 2:07:22 hours.
Lemma, 33, who won the London Marathon in 2021, set a fast pace from the start and ran most of the course alone. In the first half, he was 99 seconds faster than Geoffrey Mutai in his 2011 course record of 2:03:02 hours.
Lemma’s compatriot Mohames Esa closed the gap in the final kilometres and finished second, 41 seconds behind. It was the first victory for an Ethiopian in Boston since 2016. – Bernama, dpa
