Boston Marathon: Unstoppable Obiri wins second straight title

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri won the 2024 Boston Marathon for the second year in a row by leading a clean sweep for the East African nation after finishing in a time of 2:22:37 on Monday.

It was a tight race, but the two-time Olympic silver medalist was able to create enough separation for the win. In the end, Obiri outlasted fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi, who clocked 2:22:45 to finish second while Edna Kiplagat finished third in a time of 2:23:21. Obiri and Lokedi pulled away from the pack and were virtually tied until mile 25 when Obiri pulled way. Obiri won her Boston Marathon debut last year, finishing in 2:21:38. She is the first woman to repeat the fete since Catherine Ndereba in 2005.

Obiri became the sixth woman to make it back-to-back titles in Boston in what is now becoming her favourite course after her maiden marathon victory last year.

The New York Marathon champion effectively sealed her place in Team Kenya to the Paris Olympics after being named in the final team of six over a week ago.

Meanwhile, in the men’s race, Kenyan athletes performed dismally as Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia surged early and held on to win with a time of 2:06:17 - the 10th fastest time in the race’s 128-year history.

The 2021 London champion, Lemma, 33, came into the day having run an impressive 2:01:48 time in the 2023 Valencia Marathon. He was trying to challenge two-time defending champion Evans Chebet of Kenya. Yet in three previous attempts in Boston, Lemma had DNF’d twice, and finished 30th in 2019.

He made a strong move in Mile 5, powering into the lead and quickly pulling away from the rest of the field. It set the tone of his intent early as a talented field was put on the back-foot by Lemma’s attack.
His blistering pace became apparent when he was clocked at 60:19 at the halfway mark, putting him on pace for a “world’s best” mark (as an official world record wouldn’t count in Boston). Eventually, Lemma amassed a lead of more than three minutes.

As he pushed through the Newton hills, the veteran marathoner began to tire slightly, and a chasing pack that included Chebet narrowed his advantage to just over two minutes. In the final miles, Chebet and John Korir of Kenya chased desperately to try and close the gap, but couldn’t catch Lemma.

Kenyan Mohamed Esa made a late charge to pass both Korir and Chebet, finishing second with a time of 2:06:58.