Boston Marathon 2015: Patriots' Day Race Results and Top Finishing Times
Rain and howling wind did not deter participants from braving Monday's Boston Marathon.
Two years after the tragic bombings at the race, the city took another step toward restoring normalcy to its Patriots' Day festivities. Bundled up to combat uncomfortable weather, thousands of racers crossed the finish line during the Boston Marathon's 119th running.
Both the men's and women's divisions featured close finishes, with one winner barely emerging victorious. Out of the roughly 30,000 people who registered, here are Monday's top finishers.
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Men's Results
| 1 | Lelisa Desisa | 2:09:17 | ETH |
| 2 | Yemane Adhane Tsegay | 2:09:48 | ETH |
| 3 | Wilson Chebet | 2:10:22 | KEN |
| 4 | Bernard Kipyego | 2:10:47 | KEN |
| 5 | Wesley Korir | 2:10:49 | KEN |
| 6 | Frankline Chepkwony | 2:10:52 | KEN |
| 7 | Dathan Ritzenhein | 2:11:20 | USA |
| 8 | Meb Keflezighi | 2:12:42 | USA |
| 9 | Tadese Tola | 2:13:35 | ETH |
| 10 | Vitaliy Shafar | 2:13:52 | UKR |
Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa, who won the men's elite race in 2013, received a chance to celebrate his victory this year.
The 25-year-old finished 31 seconds ahead of fellow Ethiopian Yemane Adhane Tsegay to earn his second win in three years. Two years ago, he gave Boston the medal back in the wake of the tragedy. This time, he can enjoy his accomplishment.
"This medal, I think, is for me," Desisa said, via The Associated Press' Jimmy Golen.
With an official time of two hours, nine minutes, 17 seconds, Desisa improved 2013's output by over a full minute. After sitting out last year's race, he is now firmly established as one of the top long-distance runners to watch if he returns to defend his title next year.
One of his main competitors, 2014 champion Meb Keflezighi, finished eighth despite stopping to vomit five times. Near the end, he sprinted to catch up to a female participant, raising her hand as they finished together. The Boston Globe captured the moment:
Dathan Ritzenhein narrowly surpassed him as the top American finisher, placing a spot ahead in seventh. Seven of the other top 10 contestants are natives of Kenya or Ethiopia.
Women's Results
| 1 | Caroline Rotich | 2:24:55 | KEN |
| 2 | Mare Dibaba | 2:24:59 | ETH |
| 3 | Buzunesh Deba | 2:25:09 | ETH |
| 4 | Desiree Linden | 2:25:39 | USA |
| 5 | Sharon Cherop | 2:26:05 | KEN |
| 6 | Caroline Kilel | 2:26:40 | KEN |
| 7 | Aberu Kebede | 2:26:52 | ETH |
| 8 | Shure Demise | 2:27:14 | ETH |
| 9 | Shalane Flanagan | 2:27:47 | USA |
| 10 | Joyce Chepkirui | 2:29:07 | KEN |
After nearly 145 minutes, Kenya's Caroline Rotich made every stride count, beating Ethiopian Mare Dibaba across the finish line by four seconds.
The two matched strides down the stretch until Rotich found an extra gear down Boylston Street. “When we got so close, I said to myself I was not going to let it go after all that,” Rotich told Competitor.com's Jim Gerweck.
Her win snatches the crown from Rita Jeptoo, who was ineligible to compete for her third straight title after getting suspended following a positive drug test last November. The sullied three-time champion's absence created an even playing field for several other contenders, including American Desiree Linden.
Placing fourth at 2:25:39, Linden earned the top finish among U.S. females. The Michigan native held a lead with roughly 35 minutes remaining, but Rotich, Dibaba and third-place finisher Buzunesh Deba closed the gap.
Shalane Flanagan also represented the U.S. with a ninth-place tally. Yet neither can match the inspiring effort of Rebekah Gregory, a Boston bombing victim who returned to the scene two years later.
Cheering near the finish line when the bombs went off, Gregory underwent 35 surgeries and had her left leg amputated. She shared her reaction, via The Boston Globe's Steve Annear, after crossing the final marker on Monday:
Before the race, she echoed similar sentiments to espnW.com's Amy Van Deusen about the significance of competing.
"It's a very big step forward for me," Gregory said. "It's me taking a piece of my life back. Every time I come back to Boston -- for the bombing trial, or now for the marathon -- I'm saying that this has not defeated me. It's made me stronger, and I'll keep getting stronger. There's no stopping me."
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