Kenyans return, sweep Boston Marathon
BOSTON — The Kenyans are back in Boston after a relative lull that saw them shut out in the world’s most prestigious marathon twice in the past three years.
More surprisingly, so are the Americans.
Geoffrey Kirui won the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday, pulling away from three-time U.S. Olympian Galen Rupp with two miles to go to give Kenya its first men’s victory in five years. Edna Kiplagat won the women’s race to complete the Kenyan sweep.
They were followed closely by Americans who grabbed two of the top four women’s spots and six of the top 10 for men — the first time that’s happened since the race went professional in 1986.
Kirui finished in two hours, nine minutes, 37 seconds to claim a silver trophy, a guilded olive wreath from Marathon, Greece, and the $150,000 US first prize. Rupp was 21 seconds back and Japan’s Suguru Osako 30 seconds behind him.
Rounding out the top 10 were runners from California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.
Kiplagat finished in 2:21:52 to win her Boston debut, adding the victory to two world championships. She pulled ahead of Rose Chelimo of Bahrain to win by 59 seconds.
American Jordan Hasay, making her first run at the 26.2-mile distance, was third and Desi Linden was fourth — the first time since 1991 that two U.S. women have finished in the top four.
“It keeps happening. We keep getting closer,” said Linden, the 2011 runner-up by two seconds. “When Americans break the tape, it’s going to be a big deal here.”
Kenya had won either the men’s or women’s race every year since 1991 before being shut out in 2014 and again last year. In fact, Kenya had taken both titles six times since 2000.
But Ethiopia has surpassed its East African neighbours the past four years, earning its first sweep in 2016. Then, in December, Kenyan Rita Jeptoo was stripped of her 2014 title for failing a drug test and it was handed instead to Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Deba.
For Kirui, even when he was running shorter distances, he had his eye on Boston.
“In my mind, I was sure that one day I would win this race,” said Kirui, 25, who was running just his third marathon.
The American drought reached more than three decades from the time Greg Meyer won in 1983 until Meb Keflezighi ran down Boylston Street to raucous chants of “U-S-A!” in 2014, the year after the finish line bombings killed three people and wounded more than 260 others. (No U.S. woman has won since 1985.)
Keflezighi, 41, said he plans to enter the New York Marathon, which he won in 2009, one last time in the fall before retiring.
The warm temperatures that hit 24 C at the 20-kilometre mark slowed the runners, but the strong tailwind was a boost — especially in the wheelchair races.
Marcel Hug won Boston for the third time, outpushing 10-time champion Ernst Van Dyk down Boylston Street and finishing in 1:18:04 to beat the course record and world best by 21 seconds. Fellow Swiss Manuela Schar shattered the women’s mark by more than five minutes, winning in 1:28:17.