Defending champions Yuki Kawauchi and Des Linden head a stacked elite field for the 123rd edition of the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15.

Japan’s Kawauchi and USA’s Linden were the surprise 2018 winners as they battled through the rain and blustery winds while many of the favourites faltered in the far from ideal racing conditions.

Kawauchi leads a formidable men’s field that includes 15 men who have run sub 2:08 marathons. Joining the Japanese star for Monday’s race are former Boston champions Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya, Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia, Lemi Berhanu of Ethiopia and 2012 winner Wesley Korir of Kenya.

Among those chasing the former champions are 2:04 marathoners Lawrence Cherono of Kenya, a two-time Amsterdam champion, and Ethiopians Sisay Lemma and Solomon Deksisa. The Japanese pair of Hiroto Inoue and Hayato Sonoda also race.

From Eritrea, 2015 World Championships marathon gold medalist and 2016 New York City champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie will be in contention as will countryman Zersenay Tadese, a former world record holder in the half marathon.

American athletes include third place finisher last year, Shadrack Biwott, Olympians Dathan Ritzenhein, Abdi Abdirahman, and Jared Ward, as well as Jeffery Eggleston, Elkanah Kibet, Timothy Ritchie, Scott Fauble, Aaron Braun and Brian Shrader.

Among those making their Boston debuts are Rotterdam winner Kenneth Kipkemoi of Kenya, compatriot Benson Kipruto and Beirut winner Mohamed Reda El Aaraby of Morocco.

Also joining the field is British Olympian Scott Overall, who has a best of 2:10:55 from 2011, and 2:06 Kenyan marathoners Felix Kandie, Festus Talam and Philemon Rono.

In the women’s elite race, organisers have assembled an star field that includes 15 athletes who have run inside 2:25, 11 of whom have personal best times under 2:23:00.

Photo: Boston Marathon

Leading the way is 2018 winner Linden, 2017 Boston champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, 2015 Boston winner Caroline Rotich of Kenya and 2012 Boston champion Sharon Cherop of Kenya.

Challenging the Boston champions are 2:19 Ethiopian marathoners Aselefech Mergia, Mare Dibaba and Worknesh Degefa.

Last year’s second and third place finishers, Sarah Sellers of the United States and Krista DuChene of Canada return. American athletes also set to race in Boston include Jordan Hasay, third in 2017, Sara Hall, Lindsay Flanagan, Becky Wade, Sarah Crouch and Sally Kipyego.

Photo: Chicago Marathon

Joining them will be a trio of sub 2:23 Ethiopians: Meskerem Assefa, Belaynesh Oljira and Marta Megra.

Olympian Aly Dixon, who ran her best of 2:29:06 in London two years ago, leads the British hopes in Boston, while Ireland’s Fionnuala McCormack makes her return to the marathon looking to improve on her 2:31:22 best from the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Full elite men’s field

Full elite women’s field

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USA’s Olympic silver medalist Paul Chelimo – who makes his half marathon debut – and Boston Marathon champion Des Linden headline the elite field for the New York City Half Marathon on Sunday, March 17.

The 14th running of the event will take runners on a 13.1-mile tour through New York neighbourhoods in Brooklyn and Manhattan and past iconic city landmarks.

As well as Chelimo and Linden, who will defend her Boston title in April, reigning champions Ben True and Buze Diriba return, while Britain’s Alice Wright runs in her second half marathon after a debut 73:17 in Houston earlier this year.

Debutant at the distance Chelimo won the New York hosted USATF 5k Championships last November in a course-record time.

In 2016, Chelimo became the first American athlete since 1964 to medal in the 5000m at the Olympics when he won silver. The 28 year-old followed that up with a 5000-meter bronze medal at the IAAF World Championships one year later.

“I’m really excited about this new challenge in my career – my first half marathon – and I’m especially excited to make it happen at the United Airlines NYC Half next month,” said Chelimo. “I love the energy I get from running through the city, and I’ve had great experiences running the USATF 5K Championships that finish right there in Central Park.

“I’ve been doing longer runs than ever in my training this winter, and am ready to show the long distance guys a thing or two on March 17. I have unfinished business on the track, and then I’m looking forward to making a debut in the TCS New York City Marathon in the near future.”

RELATED: Paul Chelimo: “soldier first, athlete later”

Challenging Chelimo will be True, who in 2018 became the first the first American to win the men’s race, covering the new course in 62:39.

The American 5K record-holder leads a talented cast of American men that includes four-time Olympian and 2007 event runner-up Abdi Abdirahman, 2018 USATF Marathon champion Brogan Austin, and Olympian and the top American finisher at the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon Jared Ward.

Linden, a two-time Olympian, will use the United Airlines NYC Half as her final major tune-up race before attempting to defend her Boston Marathon title in April. Last year, she became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years, breaking through after seven top-five finishes in Abbott World Marathon Majors races.

Photo: NYRR

She was one of four American women to finish in the top 10 at the New York City Marathon in November, taking sixth place.

“I’m happy to be running the United Airlines NYC Half for the sixth time,” said Linden. “Over the years, this race has served as a nice tune-up for my runs at the Boston Marathon, and in 2019 I’ll try to duplicate as much as possible from my 2018 Boston buildup.

“The Prospect Park to Central Park course suits my type of running, and Boston last year showed me that on any given day, anything is possible. I’m excited about being in the mix on March 17.”

Diriba will be back after becoming the second Ethiopian female winner in the event’s history last year when she took the tape in a sprint finish in 72:23.

She also won the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K in Central Park last year in the fourth-fastest time in event history, and lowered her half-marathon personal best to 1:06:50 at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

Challenging Linden and Diriba will be Kenya’s world-record holder in the half marathon, Joyciline Jepkosgei, who ran a 1:04:51 to win the 2017 Valencia Half-Marathon in Spain and then finished second in the distance at the 2018 IAAF World Championships. Jepkosgei is set to make her marathon debut in Hamburg in April.

Her countrywoman, Mary Wacera, is a two-time World Championships Half-Marathon medalist, and will be running the United Airlines NYC Half in preparation for her marathon debut in Boston.

Rounding out the Kenyan trio will be veteran Edna Kiplagat, who has won the New York City, Boston and London marathons in addition to two world championship marathon titles.

In addition to Linden, the Americans will be represented by two-time TCS New York City Marathon top-10 finisher Allie Kieffer, USATF champion and Pan American Games medalist Kellyn Taylor, 2018 Boston Marathon runner-up Sarah Sellers, and 2018 USATF Marathon champion Emma Bates.

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Organisers have announced the complete elite fields for the 123rd edition of the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15.

Nine Boston Marathon champions and seven Boston Marathon wheelchair champions will challenge their respective fields.

Desiree Linden and Yuki Kawauchi were the surprise 2018 winners as they battled through the rain and blustery winds while many of the favourites faltered in the far from ideal racing conditions.

The duo will return to defend their crowns to lead a combined field that has won more than 200 international marathons and includes Olympic and Paralympic medalists, World Championships Marathon medalists and Abbott World Marathon Majors champions.

Yuki Kawauchi heads men’s field

Leading a formidable field of 29 elite men are: 2018 Boston winner Yuki Kawauchi of Japan; 2017 Boston and 2017 IAAF World Marathon Champion Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya; two-time Boston champion and 2018 New York City Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia; 2016 Boston victor Lemi Berhanu of Ethiopia; and 2012 Boston champion Wesley Korir of Kenya.

Chasing the champions are 2:04 marathoners Lawrence Cherono of Kenya, a two-time Amsterdam, two-time Honolulu, Seville and Prague champion; Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia, winner of Carpi, Warsaw, Vienna, Frankfurt and Ljubljana; and Solomon Deksisa of Ethiopia, winner of Mumbai and Hamburg.

The Japanese pair of Hiroto Inoue and Hayato Sonoda also join the team. Inoue won the 2018 Asian Games Marathon and Sonoda was runner up in Beppu-Oita last year.

From Eritrea, 2015 World Championships Marathon gold medalist and 2016 New York City champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie will be in contention as will countryman Zersenay Tadese, a four-time Olympian, former world record holder in the half marathon and winner of six World Championships titles.

The previously announced American athletes include third place finisher last year, Shadrack Biwott; Olympians Dathan Ritzenhein, Abdi Abdirahman, and Jared Ward; as well as Jeffery Eggleston, Elkanah Kibet, Timothy Ritchie, Scott Fauble, Aaron Braun and Brian Shrader.

Among those making their Boston debuts are several men who ran their personal best times in 2018: Rotterdam winner Kenneth Kipkemoi of Kenya; two-time Toronto champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya; and Beirut winner Mohamed Reda El Aaraby of Morocco.

Also joining the international field is British Olympian Scott Overall and 2:06 Kenyan marathoners Felix Kandie, the Athens and Prague champion; Festus Talam, a two-time Eindhoven winner; and Philemon Rono, a two-time Toronto champion.

11 sub 2:23 women set for Boston

On the women’s elite team, John Hancock has assembled an accomplished field of 22 elite athletes, 11 of whom have personal best times under 2:23:00.

Leading the way is 2018 winner Desiree Linden of the United States; two-time World Championships Marathon gold medalist, three-time Abbott World Marathon Majors series winner and 2017 Boston champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya; 2015 Boston, Prague and Las Vegas winner Caroline Rotich of Kenya; and 2012 Boston, Hamburg, Toronto, Torino and Singapore winner Sharon Cherop of Kenya.

Challenging the Boston champions are 2:19 Ethiopian marathoners Aselefech Mergia, a London champion and three-time winner of Dubai; Mare Dibaba, the 2015 World Championships Marathon gold medalist, 2016 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist, Chicago Marathon champion, Beijing and two-time Xiamen winner; and Worknesh Degefa, a Dubai champion.

Last year’s second and third place finishers, Sarah Sellers of the United States and Krista DuChene of Canada return to improve their positions. They join Olympic and World Championships silver medalist in the 10,000m, Sally Kipyego of the United States; and previously announced U.S. elites: Jordan Hasay, third at Boston in 2017; Sara Hall, 2017 national champion; Lindsay Flanagan; Becky Wade; and Sarah Crouch.

Photo: Chicago Marathon

Joining them will be a trio of Ethiopians: two-time Olympian Meskerem Assefa, winner of Rotterdam and Frankfurt; Olympian Belaynesh Oljira, 2015 World Championships 10,000m bronze medalist; and Marta Megra, a Toronto champion.

Rounding out the field and new to the Boston course are Olympian Betsy Saina of Kenya, a Paris champion; Olympian Eva Vrabcova of the Czech Republic, the bronze medalist in the 2018 European Marathon Championships; Olympian Aly Dixon of Great Britain; and making her marathon debut is Mary Wacera of Kenya, the World Championships Half Marathon silver medalist in 2014 and bronze medalist in 2016.

Wheelchair fields

In the men’s wheelchair race, defending champion Marcel Hug of Switzerland looks to earn his fifth wheelchair title and is part of a stellar international field featuring 10-time winner Ernst van Dyk of South Africa.

Joining Hug and van Dyk are fellow Boston winners Masazumi Soejima and Hiroyuki Yamamoto (both from Japan) as well as former course record holder Joshua Cassidy (Canada). British stars David Weir and Johnboy Smith; Japan’s Hiroki Nishida, Ryota Yoshida, and Kota Hokinoue; Canada’s Tristan Smyth; and Ireland’s Patrick Monahan round out the international men’s field.

American men’s contenders Daniel Romanchuk, Joshua George, Aaron Pike, James Senbeta, Krige Schabort, and Brian Siemann are all entered as well. Romanchuk won the 2018 New York City and Chicago Marathons.

Manuela Schar of Switzerland returns to the scene of her course record and world best performance in the women’s wheelchair race.

Schar timed a blistering 1:28:17 from Hopkinton to Boston in 2017, becoming the first woman ever to dip under the 1:30 barrier in Boston. She’ll be joined on the starting line by compatriot Sandra Graf; Madison De Rozario and Eliza Ault-Connell of Australia; Margriet Van Den Broek of the Netherlands; Diane Roy of Canada; and Aline de Rocha of Brazil.

Five-time winner and defending champion Tatyana McFadden fronts the American charge, leading Susannah Scaroni, Amanda McGrory, Arielle Rausin, Katrina Gerhard, and Michelle Wheeler.

Full elite men’s field

Full elite women’s field

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Shalane Flanagan and Geoffrey Kamworor can expect a tough test as they aim to successfully defend their titles at the New York City Marathon on Sunday (November 4).

Last year in New York, Flanagan became the first American woman to win in 40 years, storming to victory in a time of 2:26:53.

On Sunday, the 37 year-old will once again face three-time champion Mary Keitany who she dethroned from the top podium spot, along with London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot and Boston Marathon champion Des Linden.

Flanagan has a personal best of 2:21:14, while Kenya’s Keitany clocked a women’s only world record of 2:17:01 to win the 2017 edition of the London Marathon.

RELATED: Shalane Flanagan and Geoffrey Kamworor win New York City Marathon

Leading the Ethiopian challenge is reigning World Half Marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta and Mamitu Daska, who have bests of 2:29:15 and 2:21:59 respectively.

Along with Flanagan and Linden, the top American entries include 2016 New York third-place finisher Molly Huddle, Boston Marathon runner-up Sarah Sellers and 2017 TCS New York fifth-place finisher Allie Kieffer.

Last year in the men’s race, Kenya’s Kamworor claimed his first major marathon victory running a 4:31 penultimate mile to cross the line in 2:10:53.

Photo: NYRR

This weekend, the three-time World Half Marathon champion lines up against USA’s Bernard Lagat, who makes his exciting marathon debut, two time Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia, 2017 London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru and the fastest in the field with a 2:04:06 best Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola.

Multiple track world medalist Lagat became an American citizen in 2004 and holds national records over 1500m, 3000m and 5000m.

The 43 year-old will be joined on the start line by fellow American athletes Abdi Abdirahman, Rio 2016 Olympian Jared Ward, 2018 Boston Marathon third-place finisher Shadrack Biwott.

British eyes will be firmly fixed on the performances of Chris Thompson, Jonny Mellor and Andrew Davies on Sunday. Thompson makes his return to marathon racing after recent wins at the Great Scottish Run and Great South Run, following the European Championships in Berlin.

The 37 year-old, who has a PB of 2:11:19 from 2014, is no stranger to New York and claimed a podium spot at the United Airlines NYC Half in March.

In a recent interview with Fast Running, Thompson said: “New York is not a race for fast times, but instead it’s one of the best for real racing – no pacesetters, no world records, just hard running.

“It’s been on my bucket list for ages. It’s at the right time of year for me at this point in my career, and I’m excited about all the unknowns going into the race.”

Mellor memorably clocked a 2:12:57 best at the Berlin Marathon last September and will take on his second marathon of the year after a 2:17:55 performance at a hot London Marathon in April.

Welshman Davies finished 11th in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games and steps back on the roads following a successful summer on the mountains, which included winning gold at the World Masters Mountain Running Championships.

In the wheelchair races, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug and Manuela Schär return to defend their 2018 crowns, while David Weir, Johnboy Smith, Simon Lawson lead the British hopes in New York.

How to watch

The New York City Marathon will be broadcast live on Eurosport 2 in the UK from 2:15pm on Sunday.

RELATED: Chris Thompson ready for a marathon size bite out of the Big Apple

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Des Linden will make her second appearance at the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 4, organisers have announced.

The 34 year-old, who earlier this year became the first American in 33 years to win the woman race at the Boston Marathon, finished fifth in New York four years ago.

“Breaking the tape at this year’s Boston Marathon was a lifelong dream come true,” said Linden when announcing her participation in New York. “At the moment, it felt like it was the culmination of my career, but I believe I still have plenty more to give to the marathon.

“I’m thrilled to head to the TCS New York City Marathon this fall. I’m motivated to get back on the big stage that NYRR will undoubtedly put together and intend to make a name for myself in another great city.”

Earlier this month fellow surprise Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi was announced in the elite men’s field for the Chicago Marathon in October. The Japanese marathoner joins the already confirmed Galen Rupp and Mo Farah on the start line.

Linden has had eight top-five finishes in Abbott World Marathon Majors races in her career. Previously, she has finished at runner-up at the 2010 Chicago and 2011 Boston marathons and fifth-place in Berlin in 2013 and New York in 2014. She was forced to drop out of the London 2012 Olympic Marathon with an injury, but got her redemption four years later in Rio by finishing seventh.

“New York Road Runners has a great history with Des and we’re excited to welcome her back to the TCS New York City Marathon to take on what will be one of our most talented women’s open fields in decades,” said Peter Ciaccia, president of events for NYRR and race director of the TCS New York City Marathon. “Des is the consummate pro, both on and off the roads.

“Her win in Boston continued to shine the spotlight on an incredibly talented group of elite women in the U.S. and around the world.”

With her 2018 Boston Marathon victory, Linden finished in a four-way tie for seventh place in the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XI standings, a series made up of the world’s six largest and most renowned road races – the Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City Marathons.

Series XI began at the 2017 London Marathon and concluded at the 2018 London Marathon. Series XII will begin at the 2018 Berlin Marathon and conclude at the 2019 Berlin Marathon.

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The 2018 Boston Marathon will go down in history as one of the greatest ever. The reason? It wasn’t about times. Was London Marathon, despite all the hype, just as good? The heat certainly made it more interesting.

Everyone is now obsessed with times and we very rarely get to see any of best athletes really racing one another. In a world with so much data, numbers are becoming the be all and end all. Projects like Breaking2 and races set up with pacers for record attempts and PBs just fail to provide the drama.

When watching a football match when is the most exciting moment? It’s the final 10 minutes of a close game that gets everyone’s heart pumping. A 6-0 drubbing may look good on Match of the Day, but for the live atmosphere, it’s all about the last minute goalmouth scramble.

Why do everyday fans love Mo Farah? It’s certainly not the Quorn adverts, but his ability to win races with an almighty kick. The tactics of Mo Farah in a 5000m or 10,000m track race had entire stadiums on their feet, waiting for the moment when the multiple Olympic gold medal winner would surge to the front.

In today’s world, athletics and marathon running needs to work increasingly hard to avoid being made redundant by E-Sports Championships, so what can be done to make it more exciting to Joe and Joanna Public? Racing should surely be key.

For the sport to remain in good health it needs to be popular to the masses, not just us athletics geeks. How do we get stadiums filled and on their feet cheering? The 100m is a crowd puller because of the suspense, the short time and the unknown. Even in a Usain Bolt ‘time trial’ when he set the world records, the Jamaican had a slow (ish) start. It was always a race.

Both the 2018 Boston Marathon and Commonwealth Games marathon were awesome races. One in blistering heat, the other in wild, wintery weather. Yet it was something they both had in common that will see them live on in the memories of fans. It wasn’t about the times.

Callum Hawkin’s two-minute lead in the closing stages was like going into stoppage time 2-0 and then suddenly losing 3-2. It was distressing to watch, but it was drama. Robbie Simpson was a goalie charging up the pitch to head home a late winner.

Boston was even more exciting. Yuki Kawauchi and Des Linden were the lower division teams up against Premier League opposition in the FA Cup. An early surge from Yuki was met with mockery from the commentators. Yet when both athletes managed to cross the finish line first it made the Boston Marathon magical. Everyone loves an underdog and that race had so many.

Linden held back early on to help compatriot Shalane Flanagan rejoin the lead pack, Geoffrey Kurui made a decisive move and had an ‘unassailable’ lead in the Newton Hills. No one had read the script apparently.

It’s not just the drama on the day either, but the tidal wave effect on social media and the news. Suddenly the world is interested in our sport.

It’s why cross country racing is so enjoyable to watch on TV (when it’s on). Watching Callum Hawkins take on the world at the Edinburgh Cross in 2017 had me shouting at the screen, cheering and willing him to victory.

It wasn’t to be that day, but the world stopped (for me at least) during that race.

So how do we use this?

Well, global warming is creating wilder and more extreme weather so maybe we should stop recycling? Hurricanes during Spring marathon season might see viewing figures go through the roof and imagine the carnage that would do at the front end of the race?

Disregarding our duty to future generations aside, what about adding a few more hills into some of our marathons? Yes, the times would get slower, but the racing would increase.

A marathon PB is what a lot of people are after, but still, Boston is oversubscribed. It might make marathons times less comparable, but certainly, the wider appeal might grow if you chucked in a couple of hills.

What about just doing away with the clock for the leaders? Forget about a lead car with a clock and stop anyone wearing watches. Runners can still go fast and have a good idea of pace, but it might lower our obsession with quick times rather than good racing?

Most major marathons have pacemakers for the lead groups too. What would happen if we removed this element? Without pacemakers the racing is certainly more enjoyable.

If runners all of a sudden had to be tactical from the start, the times would slow for sure, but larger packs might make it to halfway together and the chances of an upset would increase.

In the end, watching Mary Keitany and Tirunesh Dibaba follow pacemakers in London wasn’t the most exciting. It was when Vivian Cheruiyot started to draw them in that the implosion happened. That was racing, not pacing.

When Paula’s record was no longer a viable target in London, Keitany just ended up having two blokes helping her win the race (which still wasn’t enough). That’s surely an unfair advantage in that situation, given that one of the men was the Kenyan’s training partner too.

Without pacemakers who will hit the front out of Kipchoge, Bekele, Farah and Wanjiru? Might others surge and keep everything exciting? Could an underdog hang on at a slower pace and then sprint for the line?

Ultimately it’s about the longevity of the competitive end of running. The public start to become disillusioned and uninterested in the front runners because the story isn’t there. A great race has a storyline.

Look at Dave Wottle in the 1972 Olympic 800m, charging for the line from the back of the field. Kenya versus Ethiopia in Tergat and Gebrselassie. Joan Benoit and Grete Waitz both changing the face of women’s marathoning and then racing at the 1984 Olympics. Anyone of the Cram, Ovett and Coe battles, when they were allowed to race.

Good races have a beginning, a middle and an exciting end

There were rivalries that lasted beyond a single race and the public loved it. Who are our rivals now? No one can stand the pace with Kipchoge, but would that change without pacemakers? It’s not like we need the boxing pantomime of Tyson Fury, but good rivalry brings in fans too.

Would a Twitter spat between Kenya’s best and their Ethiopian rivals get people interested? Would Galen Rupp trash talking Mo Farah after he bettered his 2:06 marathon create some USA and UK rivalry.

Nike and Adidas fighting for the first sub two-hour marathon has everyone listening, but imagine if Hoka One One shoes started appearing on feet at the front of the marathon, could this ignite popularity through a rivalry too?

We don’t want to make athletics or marathoning a circus, but could a small thing, like removing pacemakers or, dare I say it, resetting world records as previously suggested, raise excitement levels?

If we do nothing then we’ll all be watching drone races in 10 years time.

The post Out with the pacing and let’s see some racing appeared first on Fast Running.

To say the weather conditions in Boston were far from ideal for marathon running would be an understatement.

However, despite the rain and blustery winds, the 122nd Boston Marathon delivered with Desi Linden becoming the first American woman to win in 33 years and Japanese working class hero Yuki Kawauchi taking the men’s crown.

After a slow start and athletes wrapped up from head to toe in jackets, hats and gloves, the women’s race saw Ethiopian Mamitu Daska making a break shortly after the halfway point and by the 30k mark had a 24 second lead on Kenya’s Gladys Chesir.

Chesir, who was running in her second marathon, led the chase with USA’s Desiree Linden in close pursuit.

After the 20 mile mark and running up the famous heartbreak hill, Chesir had reduced the gap on Daska to 14 seconds, with 2017’s fourth-place Boston finisher Linden still on their heels.

Over the next two miles, the chasing pair passed the fading Daska, and Chesir looked in control before Linden made a surge of her own to take the lead aiming to become the first American winner since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985.

Linden, who was still wearing a jacket, continued to increase the gap over the closing miles and eventually crossed the finish line in 2:33:41 to win by over four minutes.

USA’s Sarah Sellers finished in second in a time of 2:44:04 and Krista Duchene of Canada completed the podium in 2:44:20.

New York City Marathon champion and pre-race favourite Shane Flanagan finished seventh in 2:46:31.

The defining moment in the men’s race appeared to be at the 25k point when defending champion Geoffrey Kirui made a big surge and broke away from the leading group, with Galen Rupp and Kawauchi among the chasers.

Kirui, who won gold at the World Championships in London last year, had a 91 second lead at the 35k split and looked to be in cruise control to retain his title.

However, Kirui was slowing and Kawauchi was getting faster, although it was not glaringly obvious to spectators with the howling winds and pouring rain.

With a mile to go the 31-year-old Japanese star, who was running in his fourth marathon of 2018, was only 19 seconds adrift.

He quickly caught Kirui to take the lead and never looked back, crossing the finish line in 2:15:58, over two minutes ahead of his rival.

Amazing Kawauchi, who loves nothing more than long distance running, clocked his 79th sub-2:20 marathon in Boston. No one would have predicted his moment of glory and he is the first Japanese man to win in Boston since 1987.

Kawauchi said afterwards: “I’ve been running for 26 years and this is by far the best day of my life”.

USA’s Shadrack Biwott finished third in 2:18:35 and Chicago Marathon champion Rupp was a DNF.

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