INTERNATIONAL: The 126th Boston Marathon took place amid heavy security on Monday 18th April as the race returned to its traditional April race date for the first time in three years, with 30,000 athletes participating, covering 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston.

Security is always of top concern for local authorities with heightened measures put in place after the Boston Marathon bombing attacks of 2013.

The world’s oldest annually run marathon was cancelled in 2020 and delayed until October last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monday marked 50 years since the Boston Marathon officially began allowing women to compete in a race first held in 1897.

Kenya’s Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir edged a thrilling sprint finish first for the women’s, and fellow Kenyan Evans Chebet dominated a stellar field to claim the men's title.

The bells of the Old South Church rang and a roar came up from the crowd along Boylston Street as he ran towards the finish line.

"At the beginning I was not confident, I didn't know that I would come out as the winner," Chebet told reporters.

The race started in Hopkington in perfect conditions with temperatures hovering in the mid-50 degrees Fahrenheit (10°C) as the world’s oldest annual marathon returned to its traditional spring date for the first time in three years.

The wheelchair races featured dominant performances from two of the sport’s most reliable podium finishers.

Manuela Schar of Switzerland defended her title in the women's race, seizing the early lead before breaking the tape in 1:41:08.

American Daniel Romanchuk pulled away from compatriot Aaron Pike by the 20km mark, crossing the finish line in 1:26:58 to pick up his second Boston title.