BOSTON — Kenya’s Geoffrey Mutai ran the fastest 26.2 miles in history to win the Boston Marathon on Monday. Then his claim to a world record was swallowed up by the hills.
Not the inclines of Heartbreak Hill that have doomed so many runners before him.
It was the downhill part of the race that makes his time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds ineligible for an official world record. In short: IAAF rules have deemed the oldest and most prestigious marathon in the world — long considered one of the most difficult too — to be too easy.
Mutai outsprinted Moses Mosop down Boylston Street to win by four seconds as the two Kenyans beat Haile Gebrselassie’s sanctioned world record of 2:03:59. Four men, including third-place finisher Gebregziabher Gebremariam of Ethiopia and American Ryan Hall, broke the course record of 2:05:52 set last year by Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot.
“These guys obviously showed us what’s possible for the marathon,” said Hall, whose 2:04:58 is the fastest ever run by an American. “I was out there running, and I was thinking to myself, ‘I can’t believe this is happening right now. I’m running a 2:04 pace, and I can’t even see the leaders.’ It was unreal.”
Caroline Kilel won the women’s race to complete the Kenyan sweep, outsprinting American Desiree Davila to win by two seconds in 2:22:36. Davila led as late as the final stretch on Boylston Street and ran the fastest time ever for a U.S. woman.
Former University of Colorado runner Kara Goucher was fifth, just six months after giving birth to her son, Colt. Goucher finished third in 2009 but missed last year’s marathon because she was pregnant.
“Desi went by me and encouraged me to keep my eyes up, and it was like I was standing still,” Goucher said.
Results
MEN
1. Geoffrey Mutai, Kenya, 2:03:02; 2. Moses Mosop, Kenya, 2:03:06; 3. Gebregziabher Gebremariam, Ethiopia, 2:04:53; 4. Ryan Hall, United States, 2:04:58; 5. Abreham Cherkos, Ethiopia, 2:06:13; 6. Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, Kenya, 2:06:43; 7. Philip Kimutai Sanga, Kenya, 2:07:10; 8. Deressa Chimsa, Ethiopia, 2:07:39; 9. Bekana Daba, Ethiopia, 2:08:03; 10. Juan Carlos R. Cardona, Sr. Colombia, 2:12:17.
WOMEN
1. Caroline Kilel, Kenya, 2:22:36; 2. Desiree Davila, United States, 2:22:38; 3. Sharon Cherop, Kenya, 2:22:42; 4. Caroline Rotich, Kenya, 2:24:26; 5. Kara Goucher, United States, 2:24:52; 6. Dire Tune, Ethiopia, 2:25:08; 7. Werknesh Kidane, Ethiopia, 2:26:15; 8. Yolanda B. Caballero, Colombia, 2:26:17; 9. Alice Timbilili, Kenya, 2:26:34; 10. Yuliya Ruban, Ukraine, 2:27:00.
