Race changes, familiar results: Kenyans dominate the Boston Marathon | Nationwide

Boston (AP) — The Boston Marathon, which was delayed in pandemic with autumn leaves instead of blooming daffodils and Mylar blanket sharing space in masks, returned on Monday after a 30-month absence.

Benson Kipurt and Diana Kipyogei have completed a sweep in Kenya. This is the 8th time since 2000 with the world’s oldest and most prestigious 26.2 miles, the first in 125 years of history to move from a traditional spring date due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

“We were injured. Now is the comeback story,” said 2014 winner Mebke Fresigi, one of the past champions who shared the mission of the Grand Marshal with hospital employees who survived the pandemic. .. “Hopefully, this is an example of a post-pandemic life returning to normal.”

Organizers applied the COVID-19 protocol to runners and asked spectators to stay away, but even after the early rains cleared and temperatures rose in the 1960s, the spots from Hopkinton to Boston were still quite good. There was a crowd of people.

Participants in the 18,000 discipline had decreased from more than 30,000 before the pandemic and had to prove that they were negative on the coronavirus test or were vaccinated before getting a bib number. Masks were needed indoors in Boston and on the bus until the beginning. It was also handed out on Boylston Street with finisher medals and fruits.

The race also started earlier and with a rolling see-off to avoid the opening enclosure and normal congestion on the course.

There were no significant changes for Kenyans.

“There is no big difference in the course,” Kipult said.

Prague and Athens winner Kipurt, who finished 10th in Boston in 2019, turned to Beacon Street about three miles away and broke the tape in 2 hours 9 minutes 51 seconds. Remi Berhanu, who won the race in 2016, was second 46 seconds ago. Colin Benny of Princeton, Massachusetts was the top American in 7th place.

Kipyogei won the title of Woman, Golden Olive Wreath, and a $ 150,000 winning prize, ending her major marathon debut at 2:24:45. The 2017 winner, Edna Kipligat, came in second with a 23-second delay.

Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race despite making the wrong turn on the final mile and finished a slightly detoured route at 1:08:11, just seven seconds behind the course record. Manuela Schär, also from Switzerland, won the women’s wheelchair race at 1:35:21.

Hug, who raced eight times in Boston and won five times, missed the penultimate turn following the lead car instead of turning from Commonwealth Avenue to Hereford Street, 50,000. You have won a dollar course record bonus.

“I’m really angry at this point, and I hope I’ll be happier in an hour or two,” said Hug, who finished second in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, one second behind.

Kipult awaited an early departure by CJ Albertson. CJ Albertson led two minutes along the way, but slowed down at Newton Hills and lagging behind near Boston University. Albertson, the 50K (42.2 mile) world record holder, finished in 10th place.

Albertson, from Fresno, California, said he tried to keep things interesting by attending Peloton classes during the pandemic. He finished 57 times at the top of the leaderboard and ran a 2:09 marathon on a treadmill to set a record.

“I was bored and unmotivated and trying to find something to do.” “I’m racing like Boston … I’m actually racing and it’s one of the best atmospheres after Fresno. I’m competing with the best players in the world. There’s nothing like this. Today was a great day. “

Recreational runners flowed across the Back Bay finish line in the afternoon, turning to the sidewalk, pumping their arms and cheering to the thinner crowd along the course.

On Boylston Street, the spectators lined up side by side, with few people wearing masks. Boston needs them indoors. Some said they weren’t worried about COVID-19 because they were vaccinated and out.

As the organizers tried to cope with the changing pandemic, the rolling start and reduced field allowed for social distance on the course. Canceled the race for the first time last year The Bostonian group returned from the 1896 Athens Olympics and decided to run their own marathon.

Since then, the race has continued to the World War and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. However, it was initially postponed, canceled last year, and postponed from the spring of 2021.

This is the first time the event has not been held in April as part of Patriot’s Day holiday to commemorate the start of the Revolutionary War. To recognize indigenous daysThe race organizers honored the 1936 and 1936 winners Ellison “Tarzan” Brown and the three-time runner-up Paticatalano Dillon, a member of the Mi’kmaq tribe.

Police looked along the course as authorities vowed to remain vigilant eight years after the bombing, which killed three spectators and injured hundreds on Boylston Street near the Back Bay finish line. ..

Light rain welcomed participants at Hopkinton Green, where about 30 Massachusetts soldiers in uniform first departed at 6 am. Some of them have completed a distance of 26.2 miles (42.2 km). Chicago a day ago — Departed after 8am, followed by men’s and women’s specialties.

“We took things for granted before COVID-19. It’s great to be back in the community and it puts things in sight,” he walked with the fourth military group. Captain Greg Davis, 39, of the National Guard, said. “This is a historic race, but today is a historic day.”

The Associated Press author Jennifer McDermott of Hopkinton, Massachusetts and Colin Binkley of Boston contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 AP communication. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.

Race changes, familiar results: Kenyans dominate the Boston Marathon | Nationwide

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