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Rounding the penultimate corner in the Boston Marathon, all that separated the top three women was a length of shoelace. In the end, Kenya’s Caroline Rotich managed to outlast Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba and Buzunesh Deba — but not before a dramatic footrace up Boylston Street.

It was Rotich’s first win in a Big Six marathon (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City). Her victory marked the fifth straight by a Kenyan in the Boston Marathon women’s competition, and mind-boggling sixteenth of the past two decades.

JUST ONE SECOND

As tight as this year’s race Boston Marathon was, it can’t compare to the 2009 edition. In the most exciting finish in the event’s storied history, Kenyan Salina Kosgei (2:32:16) broke the tape just one second ahead of Ethiopian Dire Tune (2:32:17).