Rita Jeptoo tops Marathon women (Boston)

[MaineDem]

BOSTON --Rita Jeptoo pulled away with about 2 miles left Monday to win the Boston Marathon, the sixth Kenyan woman to do so in seven years.

And there was a good chance for a Kenyan sweep as 2003 winner Robert Cheruiyot had a shot at the course record after breaking away from countryman Benjamin Maiyo with about 6 miles to go.

Jeptoo's winning time was 2 hours, 23 minutes, 38 seconds in her marathon debut in the United States. She won marathons in Stockholm and Milan in 2004. Reiko Tosa of Japan finished second and Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia was third.

With 6 miles left in the women's race, which started 29 minutes before the men's, Tosa had fallen off the pace set by Prokopcuka and Jeptoo. But with 4 miles left the three were back together, running side-by-side along Commonwealth Avenue in Newton, just west of Boston.

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/running/articles/2006/04/17/tour_of_marathon_majors_starts_in_boston/

[erpowers]

1. Good For Her