Olympic champion and world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge's hopes of winning the Boston Marathon went up in smoke after falling away with 14km to go.
The man, dubbed the GOAT in marathon running, endured a torrid afternoon in wet and windy conditions in Boston and finished sixth registering 2:09:23.
As Kipchoge struggled, Evans Chebet defended his crown with a sprint finish in the final kilometre to clock 2:05:04.
Tanzania's Gabriel Gray gave a good account of himself to finish second in 2:06:04 with Benson Kipruto rounding off the podium positions in 2:06:06.
Albert Korir came fourth in 2:08:01 as Morocco's Talbi Zouhair finished fifth in 2:08:35.
Chebet was delighted with the win in intermittent rain and tough conditions.
“I am happy today. With one kilometre remaining, I felt confident to go all the way and win," said Chebet.
For Kipchoge, it was his third worst race since turning to marathon running in 2013.
He finished eighth at the 2020 London Marathon where he clocked 2:06:49. At the 2013 Berlin Marathon, he came second in 2:04:05, behind Wilson Kipsang in what was the then world record in 2:03:23.
Meanwhile, two-time 5000m champion Helen Obiri bagged her maiden marathon title in Boston, timing 2:21:38.
The Kenya Defence Forces officer, who last month won the New York Half Marathon ran a tactical race to outsprint Ethiopia's Beriso Amane who came second in 2:21:50 and Kenyan-born Israeli Lornah Salpeter finished third in 2:21:57.
Ethiopia's Yeshaneh Ababel finished fourth in 2:22.00. Obiri said she was not keen on running in Boston but after a pep talk with her coach, Datzan Ritzenhein, she changed her mind.
"I was not keen to run in Boston but my coach pushed me. He said he believed in me. He convinced me, asking me to be patient and I am glad to have won my first marathon," said Obiri.
Results
Men’s race:
1. Evans Chebet: 2:05:54
2. Gabriel Geay: 2:06:04
3. Benson Kipruto: 2:06:06
Women’s race:
1. Hellen Obiri: 2:21:38
2. Amane Beriso: 2:21:50
3. Lonah Salpeter: 2:21:57
