Boston Marathon: Evans Chebet leads Kenyan sweep in men's race, Peres Jepchirchir wins women's side

For the first time since 2019, the Boston Marathon took place on Patriots Day, the third Monday of April. 

And on the 50th anniversary of the first time women competed, the 2022 women's race did not disappoint. 

The trio of Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya), Ababel Yesaneh (Ethiopia), and Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) distanced themselves around the 15th mile. Jepkosgei dropped back after the two-hour mark, setting up a final pairing of Yesaneh and Jepchirchir, the reigning Tokyo Olympics champion. 

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Back and forth they went over the final mile. One would take the lead, the other would pass moments later. But it was Jepchirchir who had the final surge to take first place. Mary Ngugi (Kenya) took third place. Nell Rojas (2:25:57) finished first (10th overall) among American women.

Evans Chebet of Kenya broke away from a crowded pack in the men's field to win the race, which he did not finish in 2018. Chebet turned onto Boylston Street with a steady lead as the crowd cheered him to the finish. 

It was the 33-year-old's first major marathon victory.

Chebet, who competed for Kenya but is also a citizen of the United States and Azerbaijan, previously recorded top-five finishes in London, Berlin, Seoul, Valencia, and Buenos Aires.

Chebet's countryman, Lawrence Cherono, finished second. Defending champion Benson Kipruto, who won last year at 2:09:51, made it a clean sweep for Kenya by finishing third. Scott Fauble (02:08:52) was the top American man.

In the men's wheelchair division, Daniel Romanchuk crossed the finish line first. Romanchuk, 23, also won in 2019 and finished with a time of 1:26:58. 

Manuela Schär took first in the women's wheelchair race at 1:41:08. 

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.