2LT International News

BOSTON, Massachusetts: This week, Ethiopian Sisay Lemma, 34, won the Boston Marathon, finishing in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds, the 10th fastest time in the race’s 128-year history.

“Until halfway through I was running very hard and very good. But after that it was getting harder and harder,” Lemma after the race.

He failed to finish twice before and came in 30th in three previous attempts at the marathon.

“Several times I have dropped out of the race before. But today, I won, so I have redeemed myself,” he said.

In the women’s race, Hellen Obiri defended her title by beating fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi by eight seconds, with a finishing time of 2:27:37.

Two-time Boston champion Edna Kiplagat completed the Kenyan sweep, finishing third some 36 seconds behind.

Obiri also won the New York Marathon and is among the favorites for the Paris Olympics.

“Defending the title was not easy. Since Boston started, it was only six women. So, I said, ‘Can I be one of them? If you want to be one of them, you have to work extra hard’,” Obiri said.

“And I am so happy because I’m now one of them. I am now in the history books in Boston,” she added.