The world record holder and renowned marathon runner, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge has faced a setback in his quest to win all six of the World Majors as he fell short of clinching the Boston Marathon title on his debut.
The defending champion, Evans Chebet, secured back-to-back titles with a calculated run, finishing with a time of 2:05:54. Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay claimed second place with a sprint finish, crossing the finish line in 2:06:04 and leaving Kipchoge in sixth place with his slowest marathon time of 2:09:23.
The race took place in challenging conditions, with wet, windy, and humid weather in Boston. Kipchoge initially struggled and dropped off from the leading pack with approximately 10km remaining.
Despite his efforts to narrow the gap, he was unable to catch up, and with five kilometres left, it became evident that the battle for the title would be between Chebet, Kipruto (the 2021 champion), and Geay.
Kipchoge had a strong start, running shoulder to shoulder with Kipruto in the early stages of the race, completing the first 10km in 28:52 and leading the pack through the halfway mark in 62:19.
However, trouble struck at the 30km mark when Geay injected a sudden burst of pace, catching Kipchoge off guard and leaving him unable to respond. He fell to eighth place by the 35km mark, trailing Kipruto by over a minute and 13 seconds.
With the race now narrowed down to a three-man competition between Kipruto, Geay, and Chebet, Geay took the lead with a slight advantage over the two Kenyan training partners.
However, with approximately 4km left to run, Kipruto caught up to Chebet, and the duo communicated before increasing their pace.
Ultimately, Chebet defended his title by giving the final two kilometres a powerful push, crossing the finish line as the winner.
The Boston Marathon also saw strong performances by other Kenyan runners, with Albert Korir finishing in fourth place with a time of 2:08:01 and John Korir in ninth place with a time of 2:10:04. In total, five Kenyan runners finished in the top 10 of the prestigious race.
Despite the disappointment of not winning the Boston Marathon title, Kipchoge’s remarkable achievements in the world of marathon running, including his world record and his previous victories in major marathons, still solidify his status as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time.
His determination and resilience in the face of challenges are a testament to his exceptional talent and unwavering passion for the sport.
As he continues to pursue his goal of winning all six of the World Majors, the world will undoubtedly be watching with anticipation to see what he accomplishes next on his remarkable marathon journey.
