FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kenyan and Swiss Sweeps Highlight Historic 125th Boston Marathon
BOSTON - In a welcome return after a 910-day absence, the 125th Boston
Marathon took center stage on the roads between Hopkinton and Boston. Some
15,736 participants started this year's historic edition of the world's
oldest annual marathon, with a pair of first time champions and two
familiar faces topping the podium. The first fall edition of the Boston
Marathon did not disappoint.
The men's and women's professional race crowned new champions, with Kenyans
Benson Kipruto, 30, winning in 2:09:51 and Diana Kipyokei, 27, in 2:24:45.
The wheelchair divisions, meanwhile, belonged to a pair of familiar names,
with the Swiss duo of Marcel Hug and Manuela Schär breaking the tape. Schär
defended her Boston title in 1:35:21, with Hug winning here for the fifth
time, in 1:18:11.
In the men's professional race, Kipruto – who finished tenth here in 2019,
his only previous appearance – ran the second half of the race almost three
minutes faster than the first, assuming the lead at mile 23 after being
part of the pack chasing American CJ Albertson for 20 miles. Albertson, on
his 28th birthday, took off alone at the start at one point led by 2:13
until he was finally reeled in on Heartbreak Hill (he'd later finish
tenth).
"It was a nice feeling today after finishing tenth a couple of years ago,"
Kipruto said while wearing his gold olive wreath. "I'm happy today to be a
champion."
Kipyokei took the lead in mile 18, at first see-sawing with Netsanet Gudeta
of Ethiopia before soon taking off on her own. Two-time Boston champion
Edna Kiplagat, 41, was runner-up, her time of 2:25:09 breaking the course
master's record. (Please note: women's champion Diana Kipyokei prefers the
surname spelling Kipyokei, as opposed to Kipyogei, which is often
referenced among past results and competitions).
Hug came within a late-race miscalculation from breaking his course record
and world best of 1:18:04, set here in 2017. Instead of turning right onto
Hereford Street, the veteran was so focused on breaking the record that he
inadvertently went straight, following a lead vehicle that was leaving the
course.
"It was my fault," he said, estimating that he lost about 20 seconds. Hug
was still pleased with the victory. "It's fantastic to be here in Boston
again after last year's cancellation. So it's fantastic."
Schär was the women's wheelchair victor, finishing ahead of runner-up
Tatyana McFadden by 14:59. Schär led wire to wire. "I always have to use
that first downhill because it's one of my strengths," said the three-time
champion and course record holder. "So I did that and was able to break
away from the pack."
Top Americans in the professional race were Nell Rojas, 33, of Boulder, CO,
and Colin Bennie, 26, a native of Massachusetts now living in
Charlottesville, VA, who was competing in his first major city marathon
after finishing 9th in his debut at the distance last year.
"It means the world to me," he said of coming home to run his first Boston.
Participants continue to complete the 125th Boston Marathon; finish totals
will be available once the event comes to a conclusion. Results and
leaderboards for today's race can be found here.
Additional media resources are available here and will be updated
throughout the day.
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