UPSETS IN BOSTON RAIN
Kawauchi becomes first Japanese winner since 1987, Desiree ends American drought
JAPAN’S Yuki Kawauchi and America’s Desiree Linden ended long droughts for their countries with stunning victories in a wet and windy Boston Marathon on Monday.
Kawauchi ran down defending champion Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya to win in two hours, 15 minutes and 58 seconds. He is the first Japanese man to win the event since 1987.
Desiree, winning her first marathon, ended 33 years of frustration for American women to prevail in 2:39.54 as runners, many clad in rain tops, endured heavy rain and temperatures in the 40s (4C).
An American woman had not won the historic race since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985.
The 31-year-old Kawauchi, known as the Citizen Runner because he also has a full-time job, overtook Kirui in the closing mile after the Kenyan appeared to have the race in hand, leading by more than a minute at times.
But the Japanese runner, who has competed in more than 80 marathons and led in the early stages of the race, always stayed in contention before taking control around the 25-mile mark.
“I never gave up,” Kawauchi, who became the first Japanese runner to win the Boston race since Toshihiko Seko, told reporters.
Kirui took second place in 2:18.23 with American Shadrack Biwott third in 2:18:35.
US Olympic bronze medallist Galen Rupp, the 2017 Boston runner-up, did not finish.
Desiree, 34, surged past Kenya’s Gladys Chesir at 35km and pulled steadily away,
“I’m thrilled to be here and get it done,” Desiree, who had finished second in 2011 and fourth last year, told reporters.
More than 30,000 runners entered the marathon, which was run under tight security on the fifth anniversary of the 2013 bombing at the race that killed three people and injured hundreds more.
Sara Sellers finished second to Linden, more than four minutes adrift on 2:44.04, as US women took seven of the top 10 places.
Canada’s Krista Duchene claimed third in 2:44.20 with defending champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya fading to ninth.
The showing was the worst in years for African runners who have dominated the race. Only Kirui and Kiplagat were in the top 10
Swiss Marcel Hug won his fourth consecutive wheelchair division, clocking 1:46:26 to beat South African Ernst Van Dyk (1:47:14).
American Tatyana McFadden, who was making her comeback, surged to a dominant victory in the women’s wheelchair race, winning in 2:04:39 over compatriot Susannah Scaroni (2:20:01).