2016 Boston Marathon

For the first time in race history, Ethiopia swept the top spots on the podium. Boston Marathon rookie Lemi Berhanu Hayle took advantage of a crystal clear day, running away from defending champion Lelisa Desisa before breaking the tape in 2:12:45. Atsede Baysa stormed back from being 37-seconds behind at 35K to win the women’s race going away in 2:29:19, defeating runner-up Tirfi Tsegaye by 44 seconds. Desisa pushed the pace in front of the men’s contest beginning at mile 16, joined only by Hayle. The pair would race side by side until Fenway Park came into view, when Hayle made the deciding move at an elite fluid station with a mile left. For Baysa, the winning surge also came with little over a mile remaining. Falling behind in Newton, Baysa never gave up and began to chip away at the very large lead approaching Boston. Running a 16:43 5K split from 35 to 40K, Baysa soon found herself well out in front and destined for first place. On the 50th anniversary of Bobbi Gibb’s pioneering run to become the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon, Baysa gifted her Champions’ Trophy to Gibb; Gibb served as the event’s Grand Marshal. This year’s race also kicked off Abbott World Marathon Majors Series X.