Evans Chebet, Obiri win Boston Marathon

By Peter Ochieng

Kenyans Evans Chebet and Helen Obiri are the 2023 men and women Boston marathon winners.

Chebet successfully defended the crown he won in 2022, after reaching the finish line in a time of 2:05:54.

Tanzania's Gabriel Geay came second in a time of 2:06:04, ahead of third placed, Kenyan Benson Kipruto.

Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge finished 6th, after putting in a spirited effort.

His efforts were however not enough to match and dethrone the 34-year-old Chebet.

The 38-year-old Kipchoge had hoped to win the race, in a bid to put on course his dream of becoming the first man to win all the six world marathon majors.

He has won the Berlin, Tokyo, London and Chicago marathons, with Boston and New York the only ones remaining.

The defeat is Kipchoge's third in 18 marathon attempts.

The GOAT as he is popularly known is a two-time Olympic marathon champion and world record holder.

“I’m targeting the win,” he told Letsrun.com in an interview before the race.

“I just ran it in my mind. It’s a very good course. The hills are there, they are good. “The challenge is just the training. If my muscles can handle the training, I don’t think about age. I know my age is coming, and one day I’ll quit – and that’s okay. But I don’t concentrate on anything about age. I’m doing the program provided by my coach," he added.

Kenyan Helen Obiri won the women race.