Philadelphia Marathon 2023: Men's and Women's Top Finishers and Results

Benard Kiptoo Koech and Mercy Jerop Kwambai paced the field in men's and women's races for the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday.

Koech crossed the finish line in 2:14:25.98 to beat out Joseph Whelan by 15 seconds. Kwambai had a much more dominant showing, with runner-up Christina Welsh ending 2:37 behind. Here are the top performers from the grueling 26.2-mile event.

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Men's Top Finishers

1. Benard Kiptoo Koech (2:14:25.98) 
2. Joseph Whelan (2:14:40.89) 
3. Sammy Rotich (2:16:33.57) 
4. Will Loevner (2:16:51.82) 
5. Pierre-Lou Billerot (2:16:54.46)

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Women's Top Finishers

1. Mercy Jerop Kwambai (2:30:52.21) 
2. Christina Welsh (2:33:28.76) 
3. Damaris Areba (2:33:31.34) 
4. Elizabeth Chikotas (2:35:13.48) 
5. Kayla Lampe (2:37:00.04)

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Runners who competed in the 2022 Philadelphia Marathon had to compete with frigid temperatures that were so cold the clock at the finish line froze. Thankfully this weekend's forecast called for much more favorable conditions.

Koech maintained a strong pace from start to finish. He was averaging a five-minute mile time when he hit the halfway mark. While that number slipped to 5:08 in his final split, he had built up a big enough lead to where it didn't matter.

Kwambai was even more consistent, averaging 5:45 or 5:46 per mile across her last seven splits. Welsh and Damaris Areba, by contrast, lost some steam as they got deeper into the marathon. Areba held a slim lead over Kwambai halfway through but trailed by 11 seconds once they reached 30 kilometers.

Fast Women made note of what could be perhaps the most consequential time of the day.

In order to earn a spot in the Olympic team trials for the United States, a women's runner has to finish in 2:37:00 or better at a sanctioned event. Kayla Lampe potentially missed the cutoff by just 0.04 seconds Sunday.

The Philadelphia Marathon began at the intersection of 22nd Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Runners traveled across the city and past landmarks such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Independence Hall and City Hall.