On Monday evening Hellen Obiri won the Boston marathon race in just her second marathon.
Obiri, who finished sixth in the New York City Marathon last year, won the grueling 42-kilometer race ahead of the Ethiopians Beriso Amane and Ababel Yeshaneh in only her second marathon. Obiri was called in to take Sharon Lokedi’s position after she withdrew late in the race, and she will be grateful for the win.
Speaking after the win, Obiri could not believe she won the marathon. “I am so happy because I didn’t want to come for this race. The coach really tried to convince me, but my mind was somewhere else. I didn’t want to do it, but my coach told me I had trained well and he believed in me. I decided, Okay, let me go and do it. I am so happy; I can’t believe this,” Obiri said after the race.
At the finish line, Israeli-Kenyan Lonah Salpeter edged out Yeshaneh for third place in a time of 2:21:57, three seconds ahead of the fourth-placed Ethiopian. Amane came in second with a time of 2:21:50.
