Mutai World Best at Boston – Davila (US!) 2nd Woman

New York City Marathon winner Gebregziabher Gebremaraim arrived third in
2:04:53, followed closely by top American Ryan Hall in a PR 2:04:58

Rhode Island’s Kim Smith led the women’s race by as much as 45 seconds before running a
6-minute mile while beset by a calf pull in the 18th mile at Heartbreak Hill and pulled off the course by 35K.

While New England based Kiwi Smith was fading from the lead, Hansons’s
runner Desiree Davila (MI ‰ÛÓ USA) made
her presence known in a challenge to Kenyans Caroline Rotich, Sharon Cherop and
Caroline Lilel.

(Ryan Hall photo by George Ross)

Rotich was soon dropped and Davila pushed the pace looking
strong while the Kenyans pumped their arms to keep pace.

With the Citgo sign in sight, Davila was in front by a few
steps before the Kenyan duo surged past. Davila let them get four to five steps
ahead and then reeled them in once again before pushing ahead once more.

This made Cherop pause before she pulled back into second as Hereford was
gained. With the move onto Boylston, Davila surged forward to pass Cherop and catch 
Kilel.

The 2010 Frankfurt Marahon champion (Kilel) surged hard and it looked like Davila was
broken…but Boylston Street is a long runway to the finish and Davila bore down
and once again passed Kilel to the roar of the assembled crowd.

Unbelievably, Kilel found yet another gear and sped past
Davila to win in 2:22:36. Davila closed for a 4-minute PR in 2:22:38.

Fellow American Kara Goucher would place 5th in 2:24:52. Defending champion Dire Tune of Ethiopia placed right behind Goucher.

(Boston winners Geoffrey Mutai and Caroline Kilel. Photo by Victah/Photo Run)

Davila was interviewed while Kilel was in the medical tent.
“It was my perfect day today but she was just better,” said Davila. “It was the
most incredible experience of my whole career. At the end, my legs were just
shot.”

As in year’s past, California’s Ryan Hall led early on and
at a fast pace. 5K passed in 14:29 (2:02:07 pace).

10 miles in, Natick was reached in 47:03. The big move came
at 15 miles with Ethiopia’s Bekana Daba leading the charge.

Hall was gapped here and going into Cleveland Circle he was
56 seconds back as the contenders were whittled down to Kenya’ Mutai and Moses
Mosop.

“This was my dream fulfilled,” said Mutai, who twice ran
under 2:06 in 2010 at Rotterdam and Berlin.