Peres Jepchirchir and Evans Chebet secure Kenyan double at Boston Marathon 2022 - results
Chebet scored his first marathon major victory with Olympic champ Jepchirchir taking a thrilling women's race after Daniel Romanchuk and Manuela Schaer secured repeat wheelchair triumphs.
Athletics
Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir claimed her fifth consecutive marathon triumph on the streets of Boston in dramatic fashion on Monday (18 April).
Jepchirchir and fellow Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei injected pace into proceedings after the first 10km and soon only Ethiopia's Ababel Yeshaneh could live with them.
Two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Molly Seidel were among those unable to stay with the front group with the American later pulling out.
With just over 5km to go, reigning London champion Jepkosgei cracked to leave Jepchirchir and Yeshaneh to fight it out for victory.
The pair clashed on more than one occasion and even held hands by way of apology with Jepchirchir saying afterwards that "we said sorry to each other because she is my best friend".
Inside the last 2km, Jepchirchir kicked away from Yeshaneh but suddenly dropped back behind her Ethiopian rival having appeared to misjudge where the finish line was.
The lead changed hands several times on the home straight, but it was the Kenyan who finally settled proceedings in the last 200m to win in 2:21:01.
A crestfallen Yeshaneh was four seconds adrift in second with Mary Ngugi third ahead of 42-year-old Kiplagat.
On the somewhat strange finish, Jepchirchir said, "I felt she was strong. I pushed and then I felt tired and got behind, but I didn't lose hope. I feel grateful and honoured, and I'm celebrating with Kenyans, my fans and the entire country."
The victory saw her become the first athlete to win Olympic, New York City and Boston marathons.
Evans Chebet springs surprise in men's race
Despite being run at a decent tempo, there were still 15 in contention in the men's race before Evans Chebet attacked with just over 7km to go.
The Kenyan had only Tanzania's Gabriel Geay for company with reigning champion Benson Kipruto in a small chasing group and Geoffrey Kamworor among those left behind.
Chebet then kicked again as he made his bid for glory, and quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals with Kipruto and Lawrence Cherono moving ahead of Geay.
The 33-year-old finished fourth in last year's London Marathon and failed to finish on his sole previous Boston appearance in dreadful conditions in 2018, when Japan's 'Citizen Runner' Kawauchi Yuki took a famous victory. Kawauchi, now 35, was 20th this year.
But Chebet scored the biggest win of his career on the streets of Beantown in a time of 2:06:51 with Cherono, who finished fourth at Tokyo 2020, and Kipruto making it an all-Kenyan podium some 30 seconds back.
Speaking via a translator, he said of his decisive attack, "The coach told me that when you see other runners coming close to you, you have to run harder and leave them.
"I knew that my competitors were strong so I was trying really hard to stay ahead of them. When I opened a gap, I was able to slow down a little bit."
Daniel Romanchuk was the first athlete home on the day, winning his second men's wheelchair Boston Marathon.
The 23-year-old American, who won Paralympic gold last year over 400m, took victory in commanding fashion with nearly six minutes in hand over his rivals.
Paralympic marathon champion and five-time Boston winner Marcel Hug pulled out on the morning of the race after coming down with Covid-like symptoms.
Hug's Swiss compatriot, Manuela Schaer, finished over five minutes clear of the field to claim her fourth Boston women's wheelchair triumph and a 15th career marathon major success.
Boston Marathon 2022 - Results
Men's
- Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:06:51
- Lawrence Cherono (KEN) 2:07:21
- Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:07:27
- Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:07:53
- Eric Kiptanui (KEN) 2:08.47
Women's
- Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:21:01
- Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:21:05
- Mary Ngugi (KEN) 2:21:32
- Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:21:40
- Monicah Ngige (KEN) 2:22:13
Men's Wheelchair
- Daniel Romanchuk (USA) 1:26:58
- Aaron Pike (USA) 1:32:49
- Johnboy Smith (GBR) 1:32:55
Women's Wheelchair
- Manuela Schaer (SUI) 1:41:08
- Susannah Scaroni (USA) 1:46:20
- Madison de Rozario (AUS) 1:52:48