Kenya’s Evans Chebet won the Boston marathon for a second straight year on Monday, becoming the first man to defend the title since Robert Cheruiyot in 2008.

Chebet triumphed in two hours five minutes and 54 seconds, almost a minute faster than last year and the third fastest time in Boston history.

Tanzania’s Gerald Geay was second, with 2021 winner Benson Kipruto of Kenya third in the 127th running of the event.

World record-holder and Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge was dropped after 20 miles on the hilly course and finished sixth having led at halfway when it began to rain.

The 38-year-old Kenyan normally prefers flat courses such as Berlin, where he has twice set the world record, including the existing mark of 2:01:09 in 2022.

The women’s race was won by Kenya’s double 5,000 metres world champion Hellen Obiri in just her second marathon ever after a close finish.

The 33-year-old stormed home in 2:21:38.

Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia tripped and fell when well-placed and although she picked herself up, she later faded.

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug prevailed in the men’s wheelchair race in a course record 1:17:06 for his sixth win in the Massachusetts capital.

Susannah Scaroni of the U.S. took her first Boston Marathon women’s wheelchair race win, in 1:41:45.

The world’s oldest annual marathon is run on the third Monday in April because of the Patriots’ Day public holiday in the state of Massachusetts.

It was the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three people. (dpa/NAN)

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