BOSTON, (Reuters) – Ethiopian Sisay Lemma won the 2024 Boston Marathon yesterday after a solo surge early in the race gave him the platform to finish first in two hours, six minutes and 17 seconds.
His compatriot Mohamed Esa took second place, 41 seconds behind Lemma while defending champion Evans Chebet of Kenya was third, one minute and five seconds off the winner.
“I decided I wanted to start fast early,” Lemma told ESPN.
The 33-year-old set a blistering pace until fatigue set in towards the end but neither Esa nor Chebet could catch him, although Esa made a late surge to secure second spot.
At one point during the race, the 2023 Valencia Marathon champion and fourth-fastest male marathoner in history appeared to be on course to break the Boston Marathon record until he slowed down as the weather became warmer.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri clinched her second consecutive victory in Boston, crossing the finish line in two hours, 22 minutes, and 37 seconds, narrowly edging out compatriot Sharon Lokedi by eight seconds.
“I knew that Sharon was very strong so I tried my best at the end,” Obiri said. “I tried to push, but she was still close behind me. To win here makes me so very happy.”
“When I won here last year, I was not that familiar with the marathon. This year my training was perfect and I trusted everything we were doing.”
Edna Kiplagat came third, 44 seconds behind Obiri, to complete Kenya’s dominance of the difficult Boston course.
