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123rd Boston Marathon: Cherono Wins in Sprint; Degefa Dominates Field

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by Clay Shaw

BOSTON, MA, APRIL 15, 2019—Runners’ Christmas, the Boston Marathon, is in my opinion the world’s greatest marathon.  It’s not a time-trial marathon, unless on that rare year with a tailwind.  The rich history, the tradition, and great racing up front with compelling stories.  Sadly, this year marked the first year since the horrific bombing in 2013, that Patriot’s Day fell on April 15, now called One Boston Day.  Most participants earn the right to run Boston by qualifying with a decent time which varies by age group.  There were 30,349 entrants in 2019, of which 26,632 finished.

Worknesh Degefa from Assela, Ethiopia, set the Ethiopian record of 2:17:41 in Dubai on January 25 of this year.  Degefa pulled away from 2018 champ Des Linden and others early in the marathon going through Framingham.  Degefa had a gap of over two minutes at one point and won the 123rd Boston Marathon in 2:23:31.  Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, age 39, closed to within 42 seconds to place second in 2:24: 13.  Kiplagat won the 2017 Boston Marathon, as well as London, New York, and the Daegu and Moscow World Champs.  Jordan Hasay of Arroyo Grande, CA took third with a 2:25:20.   2018 champ Des Linden of Washington, Michigan was fifth in 2:27:00 with a solid run.  Lindsay Flanagan of Roselle, IL was ninth in 2:30:07.  Kate Landau of Jacksonville, FL was top Master and 13th overall in 2:31:56.  Alyson Dixon of Great Britain was second Master in 2:35:43 in 16th place.

After 2018’s bone chilling icy rain and near gale headwinds resulted in the slowest winning times in four decades, and 75% of the elite field dropping out or barely finishing, it appeared bad weather was again on the horizon for 2019, but the storm moved through before the runners left Hopkinton.  With the conditions back to normal, and even humid and warmish, the results were back to normal with East Africans from Kenya and Ethiopia dominating the results.

Lawrence Cherono of Kenya with a 2:04:06 CR in Amsterdam (2018) on his resume, was the fastest man in the field.  Cherono who had two Amsterdam victories, as well as in Seville, Prague, and a CR in Honolulu, now has a Boston Marathon victory.  Cherono won in 2:07:57, but had to dig down and out-sprint two-time Boston champ Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia, by two seconds.  Desisa won in both 2013 and 2015, and won the 2018 NYC Marathon.   Kenneth Kipkemoi of Kenya was third in 2:08:07.  Kenya had seven runners in the top ten.  2018 champ Yuki Kawauchi of Japan was 17th in 2:15:29, 29 seconds faster than in his 2018 victory.

Scott Fauble of Flagstaff, AZ, and Jared Ward of Mapleton, UT were elated and pleased by finishing in the top ten, and posting the Olympic Standard.  Fauble was seventh in 2:09:09.  Ward was eighth in 2:09:25.  Abdi Abdirahman of Tucson, AZ was the top Master, in 2:18:56.  Christopher Kipyego, a Kenyan citizen based in Mexico, was second Master in 2:20:51.

Gene Dykes of Bala Cynwyd, PA, age 71, broke his own age-group record of 3:16 in last year’s driving rain. The amazing Dykes finished in 2:58:50.

In last year’s Boston, Sarah Sellers of Tucson, AZ placed a surprising second overall in the freezing rain and driving wind, setting a PB of 2:44:04.  She went on to set a new PR of 2:36:37 in the 2018 NYC Marathon.  Sellers finished the 2019 Boston Marathon just five seconds off her PB, with a 2:36:42 good for 19th place. 

Krista Duchene of Brantford, Ontario, Canada finished in 2:44:12, which was eight seconds faster than 2018, but she placed 46th and 5th in her 40-44 group.  In the 2018 Boston Marathon, she had placed third overall and first master.   Duchene also represented Canada in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016, placing 35th in the Olympic Marathon. 

Top 30 Men

  1. 2:07:57 Lawrence Cherono KEN
  2. 2:07:59 Lelisa Desisa ETH
  3. 2:08:07 Kenneth Kipkemoi KEN
  4. 2:08:54 Felix Kandie KEN
  5. 2:08:55 Geoffrey Kirui KEN
  6. 2:08:57 Philemon Rono KEN
  7. 2:09:09 Scott Fauble AZ
  8. 2:09:25 Jared Ward UT
  9. 2:09:25 Festus Talum KEN
  10. 2:09:53 Benson Kipruto KEN
  11. 2:11:51 Elkanah Kibet CO
  12. 2:11:53 Hiroto Inoue JPN
  13. 2:12:40 Augustus Maiyo CO
  14. 2:13:05 Daniel Mesfun ERI
  15. 2:13:11 Shadrack Biwott CA
  16. 2:13:46 Mohamed El Aaraby MAR
  17. 2:15:29 Yuki Kawauchi JPN
  18. 2:15:58 Hayato Sonoda JPN
  19. 2:16:19 Dathan Ritzenhein MI
  20. 2:16:46 Brendan Gregg CA
  21. 2:16:58 Matthew McDonald GA
  22. 2:17:06 Enoch Nadler FL
  23. 2:17:37 Scott Overall GBR
  24. 2:18:01 Ben Payne CO
  25. 2:18:40 Stephen Vangampleare CO
  26. 2:18:46 Abdi Abdirahman (42) AZ
  27. 2:19:31 Hiroki Kai JPN
  28. 2:20:23 Riley Cook UT
  29. 2:20:51 Christopher Kipyego (44) KEN
  30. 2:22:08 Sisay Lemma ETH

Top 30 Women

  1. 2:23:31 Worknesh Degefa ETH
  2. 2:24:13 Edna Kiplagat KEN
  3. 2:25:20 Jordan Hasay CA
  4. 2:25:40 Meskerem Assefa ETH
  5. 2:27:00 Desiree Linden MI
  6. 2:28:27 Caroline Rotich KEN
  7. 2:28:33 Mary Ngugi KEN
  8. 2:29:10 Biruktayit Eshetu ETH
  9. 2:30:07 Lindsay Flanagan IL
  10. 2:30:32 Betsy Saina KEN
  11. 2:30:38 Fionnuala McCormack IRL
  12. 2:31:41 Sharon Cherop KEN
  13. 2:31:56 Kate Landau (42) FL
  14. 2:34:25 Bridget Belyeu GA
  15. 2:35:34 Sara Hall AZ
  16. 2:35:43 Alyson Dixon (40) GBR
  17. 2:36:14 Becky Wade CO
  18. 2:36:21 Hilary Dionne MA
  19. 2:36:42 Sarah Sellers AZ
  20. 2:38:04 Margaret Njuguna (49) KEN
  21. 2:38:10 Bria Wetsch CO
  22. 2:38:27 Kate Pallardy NY
  23. 2:39:04 Mia Behm NY
  24. 2:39:08 Sarah Pease IN
  25. 2:40:12 Kimi Reed MO
  26. 2:40:26 Dawn Grunnagle (40) TX
  27. 2:40:29 Caitlin Chrisman CA
  28. 2:40:41 Nami Hashimoto JPN
  29. 2:40:45 Dot McMahan (42) MI
  30. 2:41:02 Michele Lee MI
Jordan Hasay of Arroyo Grande, CA returns to marathoning with a podium finish, third place in 2:25:20, Hasay announced plans to run Chicago in the Fall.
Game Time! Kenneth Kipkemoi leads Lawrence Cherono of Kenya, and 2-time Boston winner Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia. It came down to a sprint between Desisa and Cherono. Cherono won in 2:07:57, Desisa was 2nd in 2:07:59, and Kipkemoi third in 2:08:07.
Worknesh Degefa, the Ethiopian national record holder, is all business as she powers up the grade over the Mass Turnpike. Degefa won the 2019 Boston Marathon in 2:23:31.
Worknesh Degefa of Ethiopia picks up her bottle at the final elite fluid station. Degefa held on to win the 2019 Boston Marathon in 2:23:31.
Scott Fauble of Flagstaff, AZ runs a fantastic marathon. Fauble ran 2:09:09, placing 7th overall, and top American.
Scott Fauble of Flagstaff, AZ finished strong, with a 2:09:09 in 7th place.

Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, age 39, closed to within 42 seconds to place second in 2:24:13.
Jordan Hasay of Arroyo Grande, CA places third in 2:25:20. Hasay missed 2018 with stress fractures.
Des Linden of Michigan is a fan favorite. Linden won in 2018, placed 5th in 2019 in 2:27:00.
2018 champ Des Linden of Washington, Michigan is focused and runs a solid 2:27:00, good for fifth place.
Jared Ward from Mapleton, Utah placed eight in 2:09:25. The 2016 USA Olympic Marathoner was pleased to be in the “2:09 Club.”
Jared Ward of UT passes the final elite fluid station on his way to the Citgo sign.
Jared Ward of Mapleton, Utah gets his 2:09 Goal. Ward finished 8th in 2:09:25. He finished 6th overall in the Rio Olympics.
What the runner sees just after 40K. Jared Ward of Utah, powers by in 8th place.
Yuki Kawauchi of Japan, the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, ran faster in 2019, but placed 17th in 2:15:29.
Shadrack Biwott of Folsom, California, was 3rd in 2018. In 2019 he ran faster, but placed 15th in 2:13:11.
Fionnuala McCormack of Ireland gets respect for 11th overall in 2:30:38, a new PB. She paced 18th in the epic World XC Aarhus, two weeks prior.
Lindsay Flanagan of Roselle, Illniois placed 9th in 2:30:07.
Caroline Rotich of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a citizen of Kenya placed 6th in 2:28:27. Rotich won the Boston Marathon in 2015.
Alyson Dixon of Great Britain is 16th overall, and 2nd master, with a 2:35:43.
Fionnuala McCormack of Wicklow, Ireland keeps a strong stride through the final elite fluid station. McCormack finished 11th in 2:30:38.
Lindsay Flanagan of Roselle, Illinois has a strong finish and moved up late to finish 9th overall in 2:30:07.
Sarah Sellers of Tucson, AZ is a fan favorite. Sellers placed 19th in 2:36:42
Alyson Dixon of Great Britain finished 16th and 2nd master in 2:35:43.
Kate Landau of Jacksonville, Florida is the top master, and 13th overall in 2:31:56.
Michael Wardian of Arlington, Virginia runs 2:33:23. Melchor Suaste of West Valley City, Utah runs 2:33:57.
Kate Pallardy of New York City, supports the MR8 foundation. Pallardy placed 22nd in 2:38:27.
Sarah Sellers of Tucson, Arizona, was just 5 seconds off her PB. Sellers placed 19th in 2:36:42.
Margaret Vido of Philadelphia placed 47th in 2:44:37.
Krista Duchene of Canada, 2018 3rd place overall, runs faster in 2019.
Dawn Grunnagle of Dallas, Texas was 4th master a 26th overall, in 2:40:26.
Samantha Wingert of Cedar Falls, Iowa placed 58th in 2:47:12. Sarah Crouch of Flagstaff, Arizona, running with a stress fracture, placed 60th in 2:48:05.
Dot McMahon of Oakland Township, Michigan is fifth master, and 29th overall, in 2:40:45.
Dawn Grunnagle of Dallas, Texas is fourth master and 26th overall in 2:40:26.
Scott Overall of Great Britain placed 23rd in 2:1737.
Michael Wardian of Arlington, Virginia ran 2:33:23.
Lyle Stauffer of Ephrata, PA ran 2:44:29.
Alison Sukolky of Kailua, Hawaii placed 59th n 2:47:27 as the sun came out after a rainy start to the day.
Jared Ward #24 in the final 2K of the Boston Marathon. The iconic Citgo sign and Kenmore Square loom ahead. Ward had a great day with a 2:09:25 and 8th overall.
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