News Archive

News Archive

Catherine Ndereba first woman to win Boston fourth time

There was a historical performance in the women’s race and a surprise in the men’s race at the 109th

edition of the Boston Marathon. The race was traditionally

started on Monday in Hopkinton and ended in the centre of  Boston.

The Kenyan Catherine Ndereba became the first woman to win the BAA

Boston Marathon for the fourth time. The Olympic marathon silver

medallist clocked 2:25:13 hours and was, as the year before, first in

front of Elfenesh Alemu (Ethiopia/2:27:03). Bruna Genovese (Italy) was

third in 2:29:51.


In the men’s race Hailu Negussie stopped the Kenyan win streak. Three

times in a row the Kenyans had won in Boston and during the last 14 BAA

Boston Marathons the winners came from Kenya 13 times. This time Hailu

Negussie won in 2:11:45 and earned as well as Catherine Ndereba 100,000


Dollars for the victory. In a slow race Wilson Onsare (Kenya) was

second in 2:12:21 while Benson Cherono (Kenya) was third in 2:12:48.


The BAA Boston Marathon had 20,405 entries and 17,549 runners crossed

the finish line. Three time Boston winner Uta Pippig started the

women’s race. She had been the first woman to reach a triple triumph in

a row in Boston. Then it was Fatuma Roba (Ethiopia) who managed this as

well. Catherine Ndereba didn’t make it three times in a row but the

victories in 2000 and 2001 as well as 2004 and 2005 made her the first

woman to win four times in Boston. “I feel great and I thank god for

being able to write sports history”, said Catherine Ndereba.


After the first half the Kenyan had been well behind. Elfenesh Alemu

and Romanian Nuta Olaru were leading the race. After 1:12:11 hours they

reached the half marathon point, while Ndereba was only in fourth

position (1:13:31). “At the beginning I had the feeling that my legs

were heavy. So I tried to run relaxed at first”, explained Catherine

Ndereba.


While Alemu got away from Olaru at 25 k, Catherine Ndereba slowly found

her way back into the race. And she was getting closer. At the dreaded

Heartbreak Hill Ndereba caught up with Alemu. Shortly after that she

left Alemu behind. As last year the Ethiopian finished runner-up. “I

was going faster now and I felt much better”, Catherine Ndereba

explained.


In the men’s race two runners took the lead early. Stephen Kiogora

(Kenya) und Khalid El Boumlili (Morocco) reached half way in 66:11

minutes. They had an advantage of 31 seconds. But a few kilometres

later they were caught by the chasing group. Besides Kiogora and

Negussie there were four more Kenyans: Robert Cheruiyot, Wilson Onsare, Benson Cherono and

Timothy Cherigat.  Defending champion Cherigat belongs to the

newly founded KIMbia Athletics group and is coached by Dieter Hogen.


After 20 miles Hailu Negussie suddenly forced the pace. At first only

Robert Cheruiyot could keep up with him. But he was to fall back soon

after. That was the decisive moment. “The Boston Marathon is seen as

the greatest marathon. So I am very proud to have won this race”, Hailu

Negussie explained.

Results, Men:

1. Hailu Negussie           ETH      2:11:45

2. Wilson Onsare           KEN      2:12:21

3. Benson Cherono        KEN      2:12:48

4. Alan Culpepper          USA      2:13:39

5. Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot     KEN      2:14:30

6. Timothy Cherigat       KEN      2:15:19

7. Benjamin Kipchumba KEN      2:15:26

8. Andrew Letherby       AUS      2:16:38

 

Women:

 

1. Catherine Ndereba              KEN    2:25:13

2. Elfenesh

Alemu                   

ETH     2:27:03

3. Bruna

Genovese                 

ITA      2:29:51

4. Svetlana Zakharova RUS    2:31:34

5. Madina Biktagirova  RUS    2:32:41

6. Lyubov Morgunova             RUS    2:33:24