Rita Jeptoo – Boston 2013
BOSTON – Prior to a horrific act of violence that rocked the world and the running community, Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia and Rita Jeptoo of Kenya ran to championships on a chilly April morning in the 117th running of the Boston Athletic Association’s Boston Marathon.
Desisa, of Ethiopia, took the men’s title in two hours, 10 minutes, 22 seconds. Jeptoo, of Kenya, was a repeat winner in the women’s race. Her previous Boston win was in 2006. She finished in 2:26:25.
American Jason Hartmann recorded another strong Beantown performance, repeating his fourth place standing from 2012. He ran 2:12:12, off his personal best of 2:11:06 but more than two minutes faster than his 2012 Boston time. Defending champion Wesley Korir was fifth.
The elite American women were led by U.S. Olympian Shalane Flanagan, making her debut Boston appearance not far from the town of Marblehead, Mass., where she was raised. Flanagan finished fourth in 2:27:08. Fellow Olympian and training partner Kara Goucher was sixth in 2:28:11.
Flanagan was openly disappointed not to reach the podium.
“What we all dream about as athletes is winning and Kara and I really wanted to win this for everyone, especially people who have supported me here,” she told a local TV station. “I really wanted to thank them and I was hoping a laurel wreath was the way to thank them.”
Recording an impressive performance in the women’s race was the legendary Joan Benoit Samuelson, 55, a member of the Running USA Hall of Champions. Samuelson, who was attempting to run within 30 minutes of her 2:22:43 here in 1983, which was then a world record. She finished in 2:50:37.
Samuelson reacted to the tragic events that unfolded later on Monday at the race’s finish line.
“Prayers to those in the closely knit running community near and far,” she said on her Twitter account.
117th Boston Marathon
Boston, MA, Monday, April 15, 2013
MEN
1) Lelisa Desisa (ETH), 2:10:22, $150,000
2) Micah Kogo (KEN), 2:10:27, $75,000
3) Gebregziabher Gebremariam (ETH), 2:10:28, $40,000
4) Jason Hartmann (USA / CO), 2:12:12, $25,000
5) Wesley Korir (KEN), 2:12:30, $15,000
6) Markos Geneti (ETH), 2:12:44, $12,000
7) Dickson Chumba (KEN), 2:14:08, $9000
8) Jeffrey Hunt (AUS), 2:14:28, $7400
9) Daniel Tapia (USA / CA), 2:14:30, $5700
10) Craig Leon (USA / OR), 2:14:38, $4200
WOMEN
1) Rita Jeptoo (KEN), 2:26:25, $150,000
2) Meseret Hailu (ETH), 2:26:58, $75,000
3) Sharon Cherop (KEN), 2:27:01, $40,000
4) Shalane Flanagan (USA / OR), 2:27:08, $25,000
5) Tirfi Tsegaye (ETH), 2:28:09, $15,000
6) Kara Goucher (USA / OR), 2:28:11, $12,000
7) Madai Perez (MEX), 2:28:59, $9000
8) Diane Nukuri-Johnson (BDI), 2:29:54, $7400
9) Ana Dulce Felix (POR), 2:30:05, $5700
10) Sabrina Mockenhaupt (GER), 2:30:09, $4200