Another Cheruiyot smashes Boston course record
Kenyan 21-year-old Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot easily won the 114th Boston Marathon today setting a new course record with a victory in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 52 seconds.
The *little-known marathoner, who was fifth at the Boston Marathon last year, finished more than a minute ahead of second placed Tekeste Kebede of Ethiopia (2:07:23), with last year's winner Ethiopia's Deriba Merga third in 2:08:39.
Robert Cheruiyot actually broke the previous record of 2:07:14 held by another Kenyan, four-time Boston Marathon winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot since 2006.
Americans Ryan Hall and Mebrahtom Keflezighi finished 4th and 5th in 2:08:41 and 2:09:26 respectively.
At the one mile mark, the split was a moderate 4:52. At two miles, the split was 9:39 with Ryan Hall being very aggressive, charging to the forefront and serving as a pacemaker for the field.
After the half way mark, Kenya's John Komen injected a surge that strung out the pack and by with 18 miles gone (1:27:00/4:42), the men's race had wilted down to two - Merga and Robert Cheruiyot, running side by side with everybody else gone from the fray.
After the race, Robert Cheruiyot revealed that he was troubled by a hamstring problem late in the race. "I was not thinking about 2:05," he stated. "I wanted to show my talent."
Ethiopian Teyba Erkesso nearly went the wrong way but still won the women's race in 2:26:11 just three seconds ahead of Tatyana Pushkareva of Russia in 2:26:14. Defending champion Salina Kosgei was third in 2:28:35.
Teyba Erkesso is a World Cross Country veteran, who set her half marathon personal best (1:07:41) in February.
Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa captured his record ninth victory in the Boston Marathon’s men’s wheelchair race, in 1:25:53.
Selected Results - Boston Marathon 2010
Women's Top Finishers
1. Teyba Erkesso (ETHIOPIA) 2:26:11 $150,000
2. Tatyana Pushkareva (RUSSIA) 2:26:14 $75,000
3. Salina Kosgei (KENYA) 2:28:35 $40,000
4. Waynishet Girma (ETHIOPIA) 2:28:36 $25,000
5. Bruna Genovese (ITALY) 2:29:12 $15,000
6. Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUSSIA) 2:30:31 $12,000
7. Yurika Nakamura (JAPAN) 2:30:40 $9,000
8. Weiwei Sun (CHINA) 2:31:14 $7,400
Men Top Finishers
1. Robert Cheruiyot (KENYA), 2:05:52 (CR) $150,000 + #25,000 CR bonus
2. Tekeste Kebede (ETHIOPIA) 2:07:23 $75,000
3. Deribe Merga (ETHIOPIA) 2:08:39 $40,000
4. Ryan Hall (USA) 2:08:41 $25,000
5. Mebrahtom Keflezighi (USA) 2:09:26 $15,000
6. Gashaw Asfaw (ETHIOPIA) 2:10:53
7. John Komen (KENYA) 2:11:48
8. Moses Kigen Kipkosgei (KENYA) 2:12:04
* Note: This Robert Cheruiyot is not the one who has won Boston four times. That one is Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot. This one is 21-year-old Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot who was fifth at the Boston Marathon last year.
