Robert Cheruiyot wins his third consecutive Boston Marathon

Defending champion Robert Cheruiyot, who also won last year's Chicago Marathon, has become the second person to be four-time champion since Bill Rodgers in 1980.

Robert Cheruiyot has won his third consecutive Boston Marathon and becomes the first four-time winner since Bill Rodgers.

On the women's side, Ethiopian Dire Tune won in a thrilling finish that was the closest in Boston Marathon history.

Tune and Alevtina Biktimirova ran stride for stride with each other for the last few miles, then exchanged the lead several time in the last 800 meters.

Tune broke away in the final 100 meters to win her debut Boston Marathon in an unofficial time of 2:25.25, two seconds ahead of the Russian Biktimirova.

The previous closest finish in 112 year race was 10 seconds.

The 25-year-old Biktimirova ran Boston once before in 2006, and finished sixth. She won the Honolulu Marathon this December.

The 22-year-old Tune won her second straight Chevron Houston Marathon in January.