Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya sets new course record at Boston Marathon
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Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya has won the Boston Marathon, setting a new course record in the process.
His time of 2 hours, 5 minutes and 52 seconds shattered the previous record of 2:07:14, set by four-time winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (unrelated) in 2006.
Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia won the women’s race in 2:26:11, three seconds better than Tatyana Pushkareva of Russia in the third-closest women’s finish in event history. Defending champion Salina Kosgei of Kenya was third.
Tekeste Kebede of Ethiopia was second in the men’s race, finishing 91 seconds behind Cheruiyot, followed by last year’s winner Deriba Merga of Ethiopia and Americans Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi.
[Updated at 10:13 a.m.: It’s the first time two Americans have finished in the top five since 2006. No American has won the men’s race since 1983.
The champions each receive $150,000 and a golden olive wreath from the city of Marathon, Greece. Cheruiyot will get a $25,000 bonus for setting the course record.
‘I tried to show my talent,’ said Cheruiyot, the 18th Kenyan to win the men’s race in 20 years.
Cheriuyot and Merga pulled ahead of the lead pack at the firehouse that marks the start of Heartbreak Hill. Among the dozen or so falling behind at that point was Abderrahim Goumri, who had the fastest personal best in the field, and Keflezighi, the reigning New York City Marathon champion.
The two leaders ran the mile that includes Heartbreak Hill in a split of 4:37 and stayed shoulder to shoulder through parts of Newton and into Brookline. Cheriuyot inched ahead at Coolidge Corner with about 2.5 miles left and pulled away.
Erkesso had a lead of more than 90 seconds at one point. Pushkareva smiled and waved at TV cameras while closing the gap but was unable catch Erkesso on Boylston Street.]
-- Chuck Schilken
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[For the record: An earlier version of this post misspelled Abderrahim Goumri’s last name as Gourmi.]
