BOSTON -- Geoffrey Kirui and Edna Kiplagat — both making their Boston debuts — ran to victory in Monday's 121st running of the Boston Marathon.
Kirui outran Galen Rupp of the U.S. to take the men's race in an official time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 37 seconds. Rupp, also running his first Boston, trailed by 21 seconds.
Kiplagat opened up a big lead heading into the dreaded Newton hills, and won in an official 2 hours, 21 minutes, 52 seconds.
Jordan Hasay, racing her first ever marathon, finished third, and fellow American Desi Linden was fourth.
Police Commissioner William Evans returned to the storied marathon for the first time as a runner Monday. He crossed the finish line with a time of about 3 hours and 50 minutes.
It was Evan's 19th time completing the race and his 52nd overall marathon.
Evans has been the city's police commissioner since 2014.
He had just completed the Boston Marathon in 2013 when two pressure cooker bombs detonated near the finish line, killing three people and injuring hundreds more. Evans played critical roles in the initial response, investigation and ensuing manhunt for the bombers.
Evan said Monday he was running in part to show people the race was "back to normal."
Marcel Hug won the wheelchair race in a world's best time. Hug outpushed 10-time winner Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa down Boylston Street to finish in an unofficial time of 1 hour, 18 minutes, 4 seconds. That's a course record and the fastest time ever for a wheelchair marathon.
Then, the women delivered another world best in the Boston Marathon wheelchair races. Manuela Schar of Switzerland finished in an unofficial 1 hour, 28 minutes, 17 seconds to win the women's wheelchair race. It's the first time ever that a woman has beaten the 1:30 mark.
Women's elite runner Edna Kiplagat won her Boston Marathon debut. The Kenyan policewoman opened up a big lead heading into the Newton hills, and she cruised to victory in an unofficial 2 hours, 21 minutes, 53 seconds in Monday's 121st running of the race. It's the first time Kiplagat, a two-time world champion, has raced Boston. She's won in London, New York City and Los Angeles. She was also "Queen of the Hill" at the 2016 Manchester Road Race.
Kenya's Geoffrey Kirui won the Boston Marathon — his first marathon victory ever. Kirui outran Galen Rupp of the U.S. to take the race in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 36 seconds. He took seventh in last year's Amsterdam Marathon and third at Rotterdam. Rupp finished unofficially in 2 hours, 9 minutes, 58 seconds.
Four year ago, more than 200 people were injured, and three people were killed, including an eight year old boy. That attack sparked “One Boston Day,” which was held on Saturday. It was a day to remember the victims of the bombing by encouraging people to do random acts of kindness.
This year more than 30,000 people are competing in the race, including 447 people from Connecticut.
Boston’s Mayor Martin Walsh said security was tightened this year, as it has been in the years following the attacks. New this year, security will also include the help of drones to keep an eye on the race.