Reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir capped the celebration of a half-century of women in the Boston Marathon with a finish to top them all. ()
The 28-year-old Kenyan won a see-saw sprint in the final mile on Monday as the world's most prestigious 26.2-mile race returned to its traditional Patriots바카라 Day spot in the schedule for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the 50th anniversary of the first official women바카라s race, Jepchirchir traded places with Ethiopia바카라s Ababel Yeshaneh eight times in the final mile before pulling ahead for good on Boylston Street and finishing in 2 hours, 21 minutes, 1 seconds.
"I was feeling she was strong. I pushed it,바카라 said Jepchirchir, who earned $150,000 and the traditional gilded olive wreath. "I fell behind. But I didn바카라t lose hope.바카라
Evans Chebet completed the Kenyan sweep, breaking free in the men's race with about four miles to go to win in 2:06:51. Gabriel Geay of Tanzania was second, 30 seconds back, and defending champion Benson Kipruto was third.
American Daniel Romanchuk won his second career men바카라s wheelchair title in 1:26:58. Switzerland바카라s Manuela Schar won her second straight Boston crown and fourth overall, finishing in 1:41:08.
Sharing a weekend with the Red Sox home opener 바카라 the city바카라s other sporting rite of spring 바카라 more than 28,000 runners returned to the streets from Hopkinton to Copley Square six months after a smaller and socially distanced event that was the only fall race in its 126-year history.
Fans waved Ukrainian flags in support of the few dozen runners whose 26.2-mile run from Hopkinton to Copley Square was the easiest part of their journey. Athletes from Russia and Belarus were disinvited in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainians who were unable to make it to Boston were offered a deferral or refund.
바카라Whatever they want to do, they can do,바카라 Boston Athletic Association President Tom Grilk said. 바카라Run this year, run next year. You want a puppy? Whatever. There is no group we want to be more helpful to.바카라
Jepchirchir and Yeshaneh spent most of the morning running shoulder to shoulder 바카라 or even closer: In the first half, the Ethiopian's eyes wandered from the course and she drifted into Jepchirchir.
She reached out to apologize, and the two clasped each other's arms as they continued on.
바카라She's my best friend,바카라 Jepchirchir said.
Beaten, Yeshaneh finished four seconds back. Kenya's Mary Ngugi finished third for the second time in six months, following her podium in October after the 125th race was delayed, canceled and delayed again.
This year's race marked the 50th anniversary of Nina Kuscsik's victory as the inaugural official women's winner. (But not the first woman to finish the race: That honor belongs to Bobbi Gibb, who first ran in 1966 among the unofficial runners known as bandits.)
Valerie Rogosheske, who finished sixth in '72, said she had been planning to hide in the bushes and run as a bandit that year before women got the go-ahead a few weeks before the race.
She was among five of the original eight women to return this year for the festivities, running alongside her daughters, and serving as the honorary starter for the women바카라s elite field.
바카라There was just this feeling of, 'Boy, we바카라re going to do this. No one can drop out. There are eyes upon us,'" she said at the starting line on Monday. 바카라Many people didn바카라t think we should be running a marathon. So that바카라s why we really felt that pressure, but opportunity as well, to finish this marathon."
