Apr 21, 2008, 18:23 GMT
Washington/Boston - Three-time Boston marathon winner Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya and Ethiopia's Dire Tune won the men and women's marathon in Boston on Monday, scooping up the 150,000 first place prizes in the storied race.
Robert K. Cheruiyot of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the Men's Division of the 112th Boston Marathon with a time of 2:07:46 in Boston Massachusetts, USA, 21 April 2008. This was Robert K. Cheruiyot's fourth win of the Boston Marathon. EPA/CJ GUNTHER
Cheruiyot, 29, ran a 2:07:46 race, considerably faster than his time last year of 2:14:13. He holds the course record of 2:07:14 from 2006.
Tune, 22, crossed the finish line in 2:25:25, with the calm weather and 10-degree-Centigrade temperatures providing a break from last year's wind.
Placing in the men's race after Cheruiyot were two Moroccans - Abderrahime Bouramdane and Khalid El Boumlili, followed by two Ethiopians - Gashaw Asfaw and Kasime Adillo.
Tune was followed by Alevtina Biktimirova of Russia, Rita Jeptoo of Kenya, the 2006 Boston winner, Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia, who was second last year, and Askale Tafa Magarsa, also of Ethiopia.
The men set an early fast pace, with Cheruiyot hitting a 4:51 split at the 17 mile marker, chased by Adillo and Bouramdane and a fourth runner in the lead pack.
Your Talkback on this Story