Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE: Results as Sisay Lemma wins but misses course record
Evans Chebet targets a third successive victory in the men’s elite race but faces stiff competition from Sisay Lemma and Gabriel Geay
Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma laid down a marker for the Paris Olympics with victory in the Boston Marathon ending Evans Chebet’s pursuit of a third consecutive title. Lemma set the early pace in the men’s elite competition and flew out ahead of the rest of the field to open a gap on the rest.
He was left to his own devices and for three-quarters of the run looked on track to beat the course record. The difficult and hilly last 10km put those thoughts to an end as Lemma’s pace dropped off massively with the chasers only growing stronger. Mohamed Esa came through late on to claim second with Chebet third but the damage was done as Lemma crossed the line over a minute ahead of his rivals.
Hellen Obiri celebrated a second win in as many years in the women’s elite race but was forced to work hard for her victory. Throughout the course she attempted to pull away but was drawn into the field until the final few miles. Five runners broke away with Obiri and Sharon Lokedi further distancing themselves. It was a two-woman race leading to the final mile but the Kenyan had more energy in reserve and powered to the line.
Eden Rainbow-Cooper also became the first British won to claim a title at the Boston Marathon as she triumphed over Manuela Schar in the women’s wheelchair event while Marcel Hug broke his own course record in the men’s wheelchair race as Britain’s David Weir finished third.
Relive our coverage of the marathon with the live blog below:
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Sisay Lemma takes a big lead ahead of the men’s elite field.
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
There’s nothing at all to separate the women’s elite field as the top 10 are all within a second of each other.
Emma Bates is the pace setter currently with a few of the other runners, including Hellen Obiri, taking over at the front of the pack for a little while before dropping back.
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Eden Rainbow Cooper wins the women’s wheelchair race!
She is thrilled and emotional after her victory.
“I can’t believe it.” She says as receiving congratulations after the finish line. Manuela Schar comes over in second place.
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Eden Rainbow-Cooper takes the final corner with a lead of over a minute. She’s going to win the race for Great Britain, and more importantly, herself ahead of this summer’s Paralympics...
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Marcel Hug wins the men’s wheelchair Boston Marathon!
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Sisay Lemma crossed the 12 mile mark in a time of 55:14 for the men’s elite which is ahead of the current course record. Perhaps sensing they need to respond Evans Chebet and Gabriel Geay have moved into second and third place to lead the chase.
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Emma Bates has the lead as the women’s elite race enters Natick with a touch over 44 minutes of running on the clock. The field are close behind here with Meseret Belete and Hellen Obiri her two closet rivals.
Bates performed in a similar manner last year and opened up a lead. She was eventually caught and finished fifth but that was her best result at this marathon so far.
At the 10km mark, Bates set the time of 33:28.
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
More from Marcel Hug who said: “It’s always a pleasure to come here, it’s a great course, a fast course. It’s not easy, today it was a time-trial from the beginning.
“From the start it was really tough to have the other competitors on my neck so I just had to go as fast as possible.
“I think I had even a speed record on the downhill. It was really tough, fortunately I got in a found the rhythm and get into a good pace.”
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Sisay Lemma has continued to increase his pace at the front of the men’s elite field and looks as though he’s trying to go for the course record.
His last time marker showed 42:43 which was 1:21 ahead of the nearest competitior. It’s a huge gap already and Lemma may have won this race already with his early charge.
Boston Marathon 2024 LIVE
Marcel Hug actually crossed the finish line in 1:15:33 which is a couple hundreths of a second quicker than I first thought. Behind him Daniel Romanchuk has moved clear in second place with Britain’s David Weir finishing third.
“I love Boston, I love the crowd here. It’s a great course, a fast course and the crowd are just amazing.” said Hug after the race before addressing his crash during the race.
“I had too much weight, too much pressure from above on my steering.”
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