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Boston Marathon: Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay finishes second ahead of Eliud Kipchoge

Evans Chebet, of Kenya, left, runs near Tanzania's Gabriel Geay, right, along the course of the 127th Boston Marathon, Monday, April 17, 2023, in Brookline, Mass. Chebet went on to win the race. COURTESY

By  The Citizen Reporter  &  Nation. Africa

Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay on Monday beat odds to finish second at the 127 Boston marathon ahead of favourite Eliud Kipchoge, a rare feat by a Tanzanian athlete.

Kenya’s Evans Chebet pulled away from compatriot Benson Kipruto with less than two kilometres to successfully defend his Boston Marathon title in the American city on Monday.

Chebet edged out Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay to second place in 2:06:04 as Kipruto settled third in 2:06:06.

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World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge failed to sustain the heat and finished sixth in 2:09:23.

The pack was behind the course record by 16 seconds as they cruised past 10km in 28:52 before Kipchoge guided the pack off 11 through 20km in 59:01 and halfway in 1:02:19.

But the pack was whittled down to seven men after 25km in 1:14:04 with Kipchoge tacked behind Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay. Defending champion Chebet, John Korir, Andualem Belay,  Benson Kipruto and Albert Korir right behind them.

Kipchoge, Geay and Belay went through 30km in 1:29:23 with four other athletes following, but that is when Kipchoge started to drift away from the pack.

Kipruto, Korir, Geay, Chebet and Belay moved to the front briefly, before the Kenyans pulled away dragging along the pack to go through 35km in 1:44:19.

Kenyans Evans Chebet (left) and Hellen Obiri pose with the trophy on the finish line after winning the professional Men's Division and professional Women's Division respectively during the 127th Boston Marathon on April 17, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.

The race was now reduced to a thrilling three-horse battle with Kipruto, Chebet and Geay teasing each other. Kipchoge dropped to eighth place, passing through 35km with one minute and 13 seconds behind the leading pack.

Then Kipruto, who was in the lead, wilted to fall four seconds behind as Geay and Chebet battled at the front.  Kipruto would rejoin Geay and Chebet at the front to go past 38km in  1:55:03.

Then Kipruto would pull away from Chebet to go through 40km in 1:59:14 only for the defending champion to tuin on the screws to win.

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