Kenya's Hellen Obiri wins 2023 Boston Marathon women's race

BOSTON -- Kenya's Hellen Obiri pulled away from the pack late and won not only her first Boston Marathon, but her first professional marathon.

Obiri was an injury replacement in the elite field of runners for the 127th Boston Marathon, but crossed the finish line before anyone else at an unofficial time of 2:21:38. She pulled away from a group of four other runners over the final couple of miles, beating out Ethiopia's Amane Beriso by 12 seconds.

Lonah Salpeter of Kenya came in third at 2:21:57, while Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia came in fourth at 2:22:00. Yeshaneh fell around the 23-mile mark, tangling legs with another runner in the pack, but got up and made her way back into the thick of the group.

American Emma Bates held a slight lead around the 25k mark, but fell back in the final stretch to finish fifth at 2:22:10.

Bates, who grew up in Elk River, Minnesota, was a 12-time All-American at Boise State University. She placed eighth in the 2022 New York City Marathon, and finished second in the 2021 Chicago Marathon.

American Desiree Linden, who won a rain-soaked 2018 Boston Marathon, finished her 10th Boston Marathon in 2:27:18 to finish 18th in the women's race.