Kenya’s Caroline Rotich outsprinted Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia to claim victory in a dramatic finish to the Boston Marathon on Monday.
You can watch Rotich power ahead of Dibaba in the last 100 yards of the race, with the two runners having gone neck and neck down Boylston Street until the very last gasp.
Rotich claimed victory in a time of 2:24:55, with Dibaba just four seconds back in second-place. Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia finished third at 14 seconds behind Rotich after finishing in an incredibly tight final pack. Desiree Linden was the top American finisher, claiming fourth at 44 seconds behind Rotich. Six runners finished within two minutes of Rotich in the thrilling women’s race, and eight runners finished within three minutes of Rotich.
Down the home stretch, things were so close that she said she thought Dibaba might stay ahead of her.
“It got down to three [runners] and I was like, ‘I’m not going to let it go,’ ” Rotich said of the tight conclusion.
In the men’s race, Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa won in a time of 2:09:17 to claim his second Boston Marathon win.
Desisa won for the first time in 2013, the year the race was attacked by a bombing that killed three people and injured more than 250 others. That year he returned his victory medal to the city of Boston, but one would imagine he’s going to keep it this time around.
