Eliud Kipchoge defeated at Boston Marathon

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge faded in the 19th mile of the Boston Marathon and suffered just his third defeat in the greatest marathon career in history.

Kipchoge, who won 15 of his 17 marathons coming into his Boston debut, did not go with Tanzanian Gabriel Geay when Geay made his move from the lead pack around the 19th mile. Shortly after, Kipchoge failed in trying to grab a water bottle shortly before being dropped.

Fellow Kenyan Evans Chebet won in 2:05:54, becoming the first repeat men’s champion in Boston since Robert Cheruiyot in 2008. Kipchoge finished in sixth place, 3:29 behind.

“I know this course very well,” Chebet said on ESPN. “Maybe next year I’ll come back again.”

BOSTON MARATHON: Results

Kipchoge lost in similar, wet conditions to his last defeat at the 2020 London Marathon, where he was eighth. Kipchoge’s only other defeat was a runner-up at the 2013 Berlin Marathon in his first year as a 26.2-mile racer.

Kipchoge came to Boston for the first time as part of his goal to become the first runner to win all six annual World Marathon Majors. He previously won four — Berlin, Chicago, London and Tokyo — a total of 10 times combined. He has never raced the other major, New York City.

Kipchoge’s defeat dents his status as favorite to next year become the first person to win three Olympic marathons. He is expected to race two more marathons before the Paris Games. Kipchoge will be nearly 40 come Paris, more than one year older than the oldest Olympic champion in any running event, according to Olympedia.org.

In Monday’s wheelchair races, Swiss Marcel Hug won his sixth Boston title and lowered his course record from 1:18:04 to 1:17:16.

American Susannah Scaroni won her first Boston title in 1:41:45, ending Swiss Manue