Evans Chebet has retained his Boston Marathon title, overcoming a talented men's field in two hours, five minutes and 54 seconds. Fellow Kenyan and two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, the world record-holder, failed to make the podium.

In a Kenyan double Hellen Obiri won the women's race.

Australia's Madison de Rozario came second in the women's wheelchair.

On a foggy and drizzly morning, Kipchoge was among the biggest attractions at the World Marathon Major but lost his momentum around the halfway mark and finished sixth.

Ahead of him Tanzanian Gabriel Geay finished 10 seconds behind Chebet while Kenya's Benson Kipruto, the champion in 2021, took third in 2:06:06.

Chebet made his break after the 35-km mark but Geay refused to go down without a fight, and Kipruto caught up by the 40-km mark to make it a three-man race.

But with a mile to go, Chebet had established an unassailable lead and was all on his own as he crossed the finish to roars from the crowd, becoming the first man since 2008 to retain his Boston crown.

Kipchoge was among the biggest attractions at the World Marathon Major but lost his momentum around the halfway mark and finished sixth.

In the women's race Obiri, a double 5,000 metres world champion, came home in 2:21:38 in just her second marathon. Making a break with a mile to go the 33-year-old edged out Ethiopian Amane Beriso who finished 12 seconds behind. Israeli Lonah Salpeter was third in 2:21:57.

Switzerland's Marcel Hug prevailed in the men's wheelchair race in a course record 1:17:06 for his sixth win in the Massachusetts capital. Australia's Jake Lappin was eighth.

Susannah Scaroni of the US took her first Boston women's wheelchair race win, in 1:41:45. Multiple Paralympic and world champion De Rosario was five minutes, ten seconds adrift. Christie Dawes was sixth.

- with agencies