Boston Marathon: Desiree Linden is the first U.S. woman to win since 1985; Japan’s Kawauchi wins the men’s race
Japanese runner Yuki Kawauchi surged late to win the men’s Boston Marathon in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 58 seconds.
Kawauchi is the first Japanese man to win the Boston Marathon since 1987.
He overtook Kenyan runner Geoffrey Kirui in the last few miles to win his first Abbott World Marathon major title.
Kawauchi said through an interpreter after the windy, rainy race that it was the best conditions possible.
Desiree Linden splashed her way through icy rain and a near-gale headwind to victory in the women’s race, the first American woman to win the event since 1985.
The two-time Olympian and 2011 Boston runner-up pulled away at the end of Heartbreak Hill and ran alone through Brookline to finish in an unofficial time of 2:39:54. That’s the slowest time for a women’s winner since 1978.
A field of 30,000 runners fought drenching rain, temperatures in the mid-30s and gusts of up to 32 mph on the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Copley Square.
A crowd of fans — thinned and muffled by the weather — greeted Linden with chants of “U-S-A!”
Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race for a fourth consecutive year.
The 33-year-old from Switzerland took a commanding lead in the second half of the race and held it to finish in an unofficial time of 1:46:26.
It was the slowest winning time in the men’s wheelchair race in 31 years.
Hug said it was tough and “freezing” and he’s just glad to have finished.
Hug finished 48 seconds ahead of 10-time winner Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa, who took No. 2 with an unofficial time of 1:47:14.
Hug finished last year in a world’s best time of 1:18:04.
Tatyana McFadden won the women’s wheelchair race.
The 28-year-old from Maryland crossed the finish line on Boylston Street on Monday in an official time of 2:04:39. It was the slowest winning time in 30 years.
It gives McFadden five Boston Marathon wins and a record-setting 22 victories in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series.
The Russian-born McFadden says she’s overwhelmed after winning what she knew would be a tough race.
She also won this year’s women’s wheelchair race at the Chicago Marathon.
UPDATES:
9:30 a.m.: This article was updated with the results of the men’s and women’s races.
8:50 a.m.: This article was updated with the results of the women’s wheelchair race.
This article was originally published at 8:25 a.m.
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