Caroline Rotich wins Boston Marathon sprint finish

Kenya’s Caroline Rotich won her first world marathon major in Boston on Monday in a spectacular sprint finish over Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba.

Rotich’s final time was 2:24:55, four second ahead of Dibaba. Buzunesh Deba finished third in 2:25:0.

Rotich sat calmy in the women’s pack the entire race, never leading as other runners traded stints up front. When Dibaba and compatriot Deba surged late in the race they dropped the entire field except Rotich, who still didn’t lead. Coming home down Boylston Street she took the lead for the first time, running neck-in-neck with Dibaba as Deba fell off the finishing kick.

“All of a sudden I saw the finish and I knew I had to let this one go and give all the strength I had until the finish,” said Rotich about the finishing sprint.

Caroline Rotich #BostonMarathon women’s winner @BostonMarathon #AbbottWMM pic.twitter.com/kjzE0FotXa

— Abbott WMM (@WMMajors) April 20, 2015

American Desiree Linden finished fourth running 2:25:39 after leading a large portion of the race.

Asked if they felt the void of 2013 and 2014 champion Rita Jeptoo, who went on to test positive for EPO in the fall of 2014, the top runners said wasn’t missed.

“I don’t think there was a void at all. I think it was a real fun race day and a competitive field,” said Linden. Deba, who finished second to Jeptoo in 2014, said she’s “happy she’s not here,” laughing.

Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa won the men’s race for the second time in three years. He was the 2013 winner and broke the field late in the race this year.

“This medal is, I think, for me,” said Desisa about his win when asked if he plans to keep his medal this time around. The runner donated his Boston medal to the city in 2013 after he didn’t get the chance to celebrate his win due to bombs detonated shortly after his win at the finish line.

Desisa won the men’s race in 2:09:17. Ottawa Marathon winner Yemane Tsegay finished second, looking as though he may have challenged for the win but Desisa proved why he’s now won in Boston twice. Tsegay finished in 2:09:48. Third was last year’s runner up, Wilson Chebet, in 2:10:22.

Dathan Ritzenhein was the top American, finishing seventh in 2:11:20.

“I didn’t really plan to take the lead that early but I thought maybe they had gone out fast enough that they used up some of the fuel,” commented Ritzenhein about his unlikely place at the front of the men’s pack for a large chunk of the race.

Defending champion Meb Keflezighi finished in eighth, running 2:12:42. He told a press conference after he had to stop five times after the 35K mark to throw up, his body struggling to keep water down. He will turn 40 next month.

Canada’s Dylan Wykes dropped out before 10K after opening the race with a slow 15:57 5K split. Kenya’s Patrick Makau, a former world record holder, also dropped out of the race early.