Lokedi stretched her lead over the final mile, and Obiri’s patented kick never came, as Lokedi pulled off the upset in a course-record time of 2:17:22.

Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi won a thrilling battle over compatriot and two-time defending champion Hellen Obiri at the Boston Marathon, smashing the course record in the process. Lokedi surged away from her rival in the closing stages and crossed the line in 2:17:22 – more than two and a half minutes faster than Buzunesh Deba’s previous record from 2014.

(Reuters) -Kenyan John Korir overcame a tumble near the starting line to win the Boston Marathon on Monday, finishing in two hours four minutes and 45 seconds, while his compatriot Sharon Lokedi denied Hellen Obiri a third straight title in a course record.