Chebet repeated the title at the Boston Marathon and Kipchoge failed to win his fifth Major

Kenyans Evans Chebet and Hellen Obiri won the 127th edition of the Boston Marathon, while their compatriot Eliud Kipchoge, legend of the specialty and owner of the world record, could not add the fifth major to his career.

Chebet recorded the third best time in the history of the Boston Marathon by winning with a time of two hours, five minutes and 53 seconds, which allowed him to repeat the title won last year (he had won with 2:06:51) and prolong his good time on the streets of the United States as he also won in New York last year.

Tanzanian Gabriel Geay (2:06:04) finished second and the podium was completed by fellow Kenyan Benson Kipruto (2:06:06), champion in Boston in 2021; meanwhile, Kipchoge crossed the finish line in sixth place with a time of 2:09:23, far from the world record he set last year in Berlin (2:01:09)

For Kipchoge it was only the third defeat in 18 marathons held and thus he could not win his fifth title in major competitions after winning Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo. The other outstanding account for Kenyans is New York.

“I’ve never competed against the fastest man in the distance, we’ll finally meet in Boston. My goal is to be on the podium,” Chebet said before the race, excited to be able to race with Kipchoge. “I am very happy. I know these streets and maybe next year I can also repeat it,” he said after becoming two-time champion.

Kenya also dominated the competition among women and Hellen Obiri barely needed her second marathon to win in Boston with a time of two hours, 21 minutes and 38 seconds.

Obiri, double world champion in the 5,000 meters, decided to change from track to the streets after the Tokyo Olympic Games and in her first time in Boston she left behind the Ethiopian Amane Beriso (02:21:50) and the Israeli Lonah Salpeter (02:21:57).

The best record in the history of the Boston Marathon among men was achieved by Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 with a time of 2:03:02, while the fastest in the women’s category is the Ethiopian Bizunesh Deba, who won with a mark of 2:19:59 in 2014.

In the wheelchair test, the Swiss Marcel Hug won for the sixth time in Boston with a new record of 1.17.06 (his previous record was 1.18.04) and accumulated five consecutive victories after winning in Berlin, London, Chicago and New York. Meanwhile, the American Susannah Scaroni came first among the ladies.

With the triumphs of the Ethiopian Deso Gelmisa and the Kenyan Rosemary Wanjiru, the grand marathon season began in Tokyo on March 5 and the next event will be this Sunday in the city of London. Then it will be the turn of Berlin (September 24), Chicago (October 8) and New York (November 5).