BOSTON (AP) — The 2016 Boston Marathon was a coronation for Ethiopia, which collected its first-ever sweep of the men’s and women’s titles.
That doesn’t mean the winners of the world’s most prestigious marathon will get a spot on the Ethiopian Olympic team.
Lemi Berhanu Hayle won the 120th edition of the Boston Marathon on Monday, and fellow Ethiopian Atsede Baysa took the women’s crown. But some of their countrymen are running in the London Marathon next week, and have a chance for faster times than the wind-slowed marks posted in Boston.
Unlike the United States, which held trials to select its Olympic team, the national federations in Ethiopia and other countries pick their teams.
Hayle finished in 2 hours, 12 minutes, 45 seconds to beat defending champion Lelisa Desisa by 47 seconds. Yemane Tsegay was an additional 30 seconds back to round out an all-Ethiopian top three.
Baysa finished 44 seconds ahead of fellow Ethiopian Tirfi Tsegaye. Kenyan Joyce Chepkirui’s third-place finish was the only thing that denied Ethiopia a sweep in both races.