Kenya wins the Boston Marathon, but not the fan favorite, Kipchoge

Eliud Kipchoge’s highly anticipated Boston Marathon debut was ruined by defending winner Evans Chebet of Kenya, who surged to the lead at Heartbreak Hill and finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 54 seconds.

Eliud Kipchoge, the current world record holder and widely regarded as the best marathoner of all time, wasn’t on the mind of defending Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet.

Leaving Kipchoge behind at Heartbreak Hill to sabotage the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s eagerly awaited debut, Chebet won the oldest and most prestigious marathon on Monday for the second consecutive year. Chebet finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 54 seconds.

In a footrace, Tanzanian Gabriel Geay came in second place, 10 seconds after the winner and two seconds before Kenyan Benson Kipruto. With 12 triumphs, Kipchoge’s sixth-place finish was just his third major marathon defeat.

Winner of the 2021 race and Chebet’s training companion Kipruto commented, “We don’t race against an individual. “We weren’t aiming for an individual this morning; we were going for a race. And that’s what took place. The women’s event was won by Hellen Obiri, a two-time Olympic silver medallist in the 5,000 meters, in 2:21:38, making it a clean sweep for Kenya. Israeli Lonah Salpeter came in seven seconds after Amane Beriso of Ethiopia in second place. When she ran her first marathon in New York last fall, Obiri placed sixth. “I tried to be patient and wait for the right time to happen,” she said. It was my time today.

It was Kenya’s third consecutive victory. Since 1966, Obiri is the 15th Kenyan to win the distaff division. Fourth in a row and the 25th Kenyan male champion, Chebet is the first champion to successfully defend his Boston crown since Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot did so between 2006 and 2008.

Chebet’s time ranked sixth among all competitors. Kipchoge completed the race in 2:09:23, the slowest time of his career. Regarding the men’s race, Obiri observed, “In a marathon, anything can happen. Everyone was present to race, and the field was strong.

Around Mile 20, just after Kipchoge failed to fill up his bottle at a water station, Chebet, who was in the lead pack, dropped Kipchoge. With around three miles remaining, Geay, Kipruto, and Chebet broke away, and Chebet made his move in the last mile.

Most of them exploded. Even Eliud Kipchoge blew up,” claimed Scott Fauble, the top American finisher. “I nearly got him,”

Kipchoge had hoped to improve his illustrious running record by winning the Boston Marathon. The 38-year-old has triumphed in four of the big marathons; Boston is the lone race he entered but lost in. (He’s never been mayor of New York.) In an exhibition held in a Vienna park, he also beat the two-hour mark.

From the start in Hopkinton until the collection of slopes known as Heartbreak Hill, Kipchoge sprinted with the lead pack despite a slight headwind and rain that slickened the roads. He wasn’t one of the three leaders, much to the surprise of the crowd gathered along Boylston Street for the decisive kick.