Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia claimed his second victory in the men’s race of the Boston Marathon in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 17 seconds to claim a golden olive wreath, the $150,000 first prize and a winner’s medal. Desisa was in the men’s lead pack for the entire race. He has easily defeated 2014 champion Meb Keflezighi, the first man from United States to win the race in three decades. Lelisa Desisa won his first Boston Marathon in 2013. Yemane Adhane Tsegay, also from Ethiopia, was 31 seconds behind in second, his best finish in a major marathon. Wilson Chebet of Kenya finished third in the race.
Kenya’s Carolina Rotich won the women’s race, by defeating Mare Dibaba in a very close race by 4 seconds. Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia finished third in the race.
Tidbits
- Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon. The annual event was begun in 1897.
- It is always held on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday of April.
- The event is hosted by several cities in Greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States.
- The Boston Marathon was first run in April 1897, inspired by the revival of the marathon for the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- During the 2013 Boston Marathon, two explosions occurred, which killed three spectators and injured 264 people.
