Obiri claims back-to-back Boston Marathon titles
Hellen Obiri’s legs were carrying her closer to Boston, but her mind was thinking about Paris.
“I’m not giving up. I’m not going to let this one go,” the two-olympic medalist, who lives and trains in Boulder, recalled thinking still miles away from arriving at the Boston Marathon finish line.
She didn’t relent, and her latest trip down the world’s oldest annual marathon course put her in rare company and in line to add to her Olympic medal count.
Obiri broke away from a large pack late to become the first woman to repeat as Boston Marathon champion since 2005, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 37 seconds on Monday.
Longmont’s Edna Kiplagat, a twotime champion, was third in 2:23:21. Kiplagat finished 30th a year ago.
Boulder’s Emma Bates, who led in the second half of the race, was the top American finisher in 12th (2:27:14).
Sisay Lemma scorched the first half of the Boston Marathon course, setting a record pace to build a lead of more than half of a mile.
Then the weather heated up, and the 34-year-old Ethiopian slowed down.
After running alone for most of the morning, Lemma held on down Boylston Street to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds — the 10th fastest time in the race’s 128-year history.
As expected, Fever drafts Clark with No. 1 overall pick
Caitlin Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.
The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking college career.
The Fever taking Clark had been a foregone conclusion since she announced
Boulder resident Hellen Obiri displays the trophy on the finish line after winning the women’s division at the Boston Marathon on Monday in Boston.
on Feb. 29 she would turn pro.
Los Angeles chose Stanford’s Cameron Brink at No. 2.
Chicago had the third pick and chose South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso before the Sparks were on the clock again and and selected Tennessee’s Rickea Jackson.
Dallas took Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon with the fifth pick.
• The WNBA will once again pay for charter flights for the entire playoffs as well as for back-to-back games during the upcoming season that require air travel, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
There are more back-to-back sets this season with the WNBA taking a long break for the Olympics in late July and early August. The league spent $4 million on charters in 2023 and will do the same this year.
Engelbert also said she hopes to have 16 teams in the league by 2028, up from the current 12.
NBA records 872 sellouts, attendance up 1.4 percent
Attendance was up 1.4% in the NBA this season, with the league setting a slew of records for ticket sales and sellouts.
The total attendance in the regular season that ended Sunday was 22,536,341, the league said — the second consecutive season in which the NBA set that record. Other records set this season included 872 sellouts, 71% of games selling out and the average attendance of 18,322.
The previous marks in those categories: 22,234,502 for total attendance, 791 sellouts, 63% of games selling out and average attendance of 18,077. All were set in the 202223 season.
In all, the league said arenas were filled to 98% capacity, another record.
Sterling retires from Yankees broadcast in 34th season
John Sterling, the hyperexcitable New York Yankees broadcaster known for decades of indelible, personalized home run calls, announced his immediate retirement at age 85.
Sterling made the unexpected decision a few weeks into his 34th season as the Yankees’ radio play-by-play voice. He had cut back his schedule in recent years and was not with the team for its current trips to Cleveland and Toronto.
He called 5,420 regular-season games, the last against the Blue Jays on April 7, plus 211 postseason games. Sterling broadcast 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 through July 2019 after starting with the Yankees as a pregame host.
Sterling will be honored in a ceremony before Saturday’s game in the Bronx against Tampa Bay.
Verlander likely to make his season debut this weekend
Astros ace Justin Verlander will throw a side session Tuesday, and if that goes well he’ll make his season debut this weekend against the Washington Nationals.
Houston manager Joe Espada made the announcement, but wouldn’t say which game of the series Verlander would start.