BOSTON (WJAR) — Monday is the 128th Boston Marathon.
There are more than 30,000 participants, including runners from 129 countries and all 50 U.S. states, with spectators lining the streets to cheer them on.
Sisay Lemma, of Ethiopia, set a blistering pace and held on to win the Boston Marathon, running alone through most of the course to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds — the 10th fastest time in the race’s 128-year history.
The 2021 London champion, Lemma arrived in Boston with the fastest time in the field, becoming just the fourth person ever to break 2:02:00 when he won in Valencia last year. And he showed it on the course, separating himself from the pack in the first three miles and opening a lead of more than half of a mile.
Hellen Obiri defended her title, outkicking Sharon Lokedi on Boylston Street to finish in 2:27:37 and win by eight seconds; two-time Boston champion Edna Kiplagat completed the Kenyan sweep, finishing another 36 seconds back.
Obiri also won New York last fall and is among the favorites for the Paris Olympics. She is the sixth woman to win back-to-back in Boston and the first since Catherine “the Great” Ndereba won four in six years from 2000 to ’05.
Former Patriots player Rob Gronkowski is the grand marshal for this year’s marathon.
For the first time since 1985, the Boston Marathon is being presented by a new primary sponsor.
Bank of America replaces John Hancock and is launching a decade-long agreement with the Boston Athletic Association.
There was a wreath-laying to honor the victims, survivors, and first responders of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Metal barricades are up and law uniformed and undercover officers are position along the 26.2-mile route.
The men’s and women’s wheelchair races started shortly after 9 a.m. , with Switzerland’s Marcel Hug coasting to a course record in the event, winning the men’s wheelchair race for the seventh time.
Michelle Rosenblatt, of Mansfield, is running for the second time to support the Joe Andruzzi Foundation. She ran the race in 2017 and is doing it again because of Susan Hurley, who ran last year while battling ovarian cancer.
WJAR’s Emily Volz was among participants running this year’s race. She’s part of the Miles for Miracles team to benefit Boston Children’s Hospital and running for kids like 14-month-old Joey Zwolinski, and others like him, so that they can continue to get top notch care.
Each athlete who participates in the marathon on behalf of one charity is required to raise a minimum of $5,000. Emily exceeded that goal.
The race is also expected to inject more than $200 million into the Greater Boston economy.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.