BOSTON -- As the sun rose over Boylston Street on Monday, the winners of the 2024 Boston Marathon had already triumphantly crossed the finish line. While many runners were still making their way through the course, a few exceptional athletes had already secured their places in history.
Hellen Obiri emerges victorious in the Boston Marathon women's race
Hellen Obiri, hailing from Kenya, made a decisive move late in the race to clinch her second consecutive victory in the Boston Marathon women's race, finishing with an unofficial time of 2:22:37. She joins the ranks of the elite few who have achieved back-to-back wins, a feat last accomplished by Catherine Ndereba of Kenya in 2004 and 2005.
What started as a competitive pack of 20 runners dwindled down to just two contenders in the final stretch. Obiri and Sharon Lokedi ran shoulder to shoulder, drawing energy from the roaring crowd. However, it was Obiri who found an extra burst of speed in the closing moments, securing another remarkable win at the prestigious event.
Lokedi crossed the finish line in second place with a time of 2:22:45, while Edna Kiplagat claimed the third spot at 2:23:21, completing a Kenyan sweep of the top three positions in the women's race. Buze Diriba and Senbere Teferi, representing Ethiopia, rounded out the top five with identical finishing times of 2:24:04.
Sisay Lemma emerges victorious in Boston Marathon men's event
Not long ago, Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia faced an incomplete race in Boston back in 2022. However, on the most recent Monday, it was evident that he would dominate the competition and be the first to cross the finish line.
The 33-year-old maintained his lead from start to finish, breaking the tape with an unofficial time of 2:06:18 -- marking the 10th fastest time in the history of the Boston Marathon. Throughout most of the race, Lemma extended his advantage in minutes, although his lead dwindled to a minute in the final stretch. Nevertheless, Lemma remained out of reach, surpassing his previous best performance in Boston when he finished 30th in 2019.
Mohamed Esa (also from Ethiopia) secured the second spot with an unofficial time of 2:06:58, while the defending champion Evans Chebet closely followed at 2:07:22. The top five was completed by Kenyans John Korir (2:07:40) and Albert Korir (2:07:47).
Leading the American contingent was C.J. Albertson, finishing at 2:09:53 and claiming the seventh spot overall, his best result in Boston to date. Albertson had previously finished 10th in 2021, 13th in 2022, and 12th in the last edition of the race.
Eden Rainbow-Cooper secures victory in Boston Marathon women's wheelchair competition
A fresh face emerged victorious in the women's wheelchair category, with Eden Rainbow-Cooper becoming the first British woman to clinch the title at the Boston Marathon. The 22-year-old completed the race on Monday with an unofficial time of 1:35:11, securing her first-ever World Marathon major triumph.
Exciting Finish at the Boston Marathon Women's Wheelchair Race
Manuela Schar made a strong push to cut Rainbow-Cooper's lead to just 30 seconds at one point during the race. However, the Portsmouth, England native, Rainbow-Cooper, managed to pull away and secure the victory. As she made the left turn onto Boylston, there was no one close behind her.
Adding to her achievements, Rainbow-Cooper also clinched the victory at the Boston 5K on Saturday. Schar finished in second place with a time of 1:35:41, followed by Madison De Rozario (1:39:20), Patricia Eachus (1:40:22), and Aline Dos Santos Rocha (1:41:47). The top American finisher in the women's wheelchair race was Michelle Wheeler, crossing the finish line at 1:45:59.
Marcel Hug Dominates the Boston Marathon Men's Wheelchair Race
Continuing his reign, Switzerland's Marcel Hug secured his seventh Boston Marathon victory in the men's wheelchair race. Known as "The Silver Bullet," Hug not only won the race but also set a new course record, breaking his own record from the previous year.
Hug's unofficial finish time was an impressive 1:15:32, significantly surpassing his previous record of 1:17:06. Despite a minor crash into the wall in Newton, Hug maintained his lead and finished well ahead of the competition for the second consecutive year. Daniel Romanchuk from Maryland came in second with a time of 1:20:37, followed by David Weir (1:22:12), Sho Wantanabe (1:26:10), and Joshua Cassidy (1:26:15).
The top American finisher in the men's wheelchair race was Romanchuk, with Aaron Pike (1:28:35) and Evan Cornell (1:30:31) following behind.
Kenyan Runners Dominate the 2023 Boston Marathon
The 127th Boston Marathon witnessed another impressive display of Kenyan talent, with Evans Chebet and Hellen Obiri clinching victory in the men's and women's races, respectively.
Chebet secured his second consecutive win at the Boston Marathon, crossing the finish line in 2:05:54. This time placed him as the third-fastest winner in the history of the race, nearly a minute faster than his 2022 triumph. Chebet joined the ranks of elite runners like Robert Cheruiyot, who achieved a three-peat from 2006-2008.
Obiri, a late entrant in the 2023 Boston Marathon, had previously only competed in one marathon - the New York City Marathon. Despite this, she emerged victorious with a time of 2:21:38, marking the fourth-fastest winning time in the event's history.
The men's wheelchair race saw Marcel Hug claim his sixth Boston Marathon title by defeating American Daniel Romanchuk by a significant margin.
Meanwhile, Susannah Scaroni triumphed in the women's wheelchair race with a time of 1:41:45, overcoming a challenge with a loose wheel near the 15K mark. This victory marked her first win in Boston and the third-fastest time she has achieved in her nine races on the course.
Setting the Record Straight: The Fastest Boston Marathon Time
Geoffrey Mutai holds the record for the fastest time ever recorded at the Boston Marathon, completing the men's race in a remarkable 2:03:02 back in 2011.
In 2014, Buzunesh Deba from Ethiopia set a new record in the women's category by finishing the Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 59 seconds. This achievement surpassed the previous record held by Rita Jeptoo of Kenya, who finished in 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 57 seconds in 2014. Deba was declared the winner in 2016 after Jeptoo was disqualified for doping.
On the wheelchair race front, Marcel Hug's recent record-breaking performance has been the talk of the town. In the women's wheelchair race, Manuela Schar holds the record with a time of 1 hour, 28 minutes, and 17 seconds set in 2017.
Are there prizes for winning the Boston Marathon?
Absolutely! Winners of the men's and women's races each receive a handsome sum of $150,000. The second-place finishers are awarded $75,000, and those in third place take home $40,000.
For the wheelchair division, the top winners receive $40,000, while the second and third place finishers are awarded $25,000 and $12,000, respectively.
