Kenyans Kirui, Kiplagat win Boston Marathon; good day for US
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 yesterday, pulling away from three-time US 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 ten for men - the first time that’s happened since the race went professional in 1986.
“It’s so exciting to see Americans being competitive here,” said Rupp, the Olympic bronze medallist who was making his Boston debut. “It’s a real exciting time. And it’s awesome to see American distance running on the upswing and being competitive in these races.”
Kirui finished in 2 hours, 9 minutes, 37 seconds to claim a silver trophy, a guilded olive wreath from Marathon, Greece, and the $150,000 first-place prize. Rupp was 21 seconds back, and Japan’s Suguru Osako an additional 30 seconds behind him.
Kiplagat won her Boston debut in 2:21:52, adding the victory to two world championships and wins in London, New York and Los Angeles. She pulled ahead of Rose Chelimo of Bahrain in the Newton hills to win by 59 seconds.
American Jordan Hasay, making her debut at the 26.2-mile distance, was third and Desi Linden was fourth - the first time since 1991 that two US women have finished in the top four.
Rounding out the top 10 were runners from California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.
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, so dominating the top 10 that Boylston Street began to look like a Great Rift Valley training run.