Boston.com / 2000 Boston Marathon

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3:08 p.m. Lead runners have finished
The Hoyts, father Dick pushing wheelchair-bound son Rick, have just finished. It's the 20th Boston Marathon for these perennial crowd favorites. [ More on the Hoyts ]

2:40 p.m. Lead runners have finished
Runners are streaming across the finish line, and will continue to do so even after 6 p.m., which is when the BAA stops keeping official time. BAA statisticians say the women's race had the closest spread ever among the top three runners.

2:31 p.m. Lead runners have finished
The race for second place among the women, between Fatuma Roba and Irina Bogacheva, was so close that it took a stop-action camera to separate them. Although Roba's foot appeared to hit the touchpad first, Bogacheva's body crossed the plane of the finish line first, BAA officials ruled.

2:29 p.m. Lead runners have finished
Catherine Ndereba had tears streaming down her face as the Kenyan national anthem was played in her honor. She has received her trophy and laurel wreath from Gov. Paul Cellucci.

2:26 p.m. WOMEN'S CHAMPION FINISHES
Catherine Ndereba has won the women's division of the 104th Boston Marathon in 2:26:10. Fatuma Roba and Irina Bogacheva sprinted and finished side-by-side. It's not clear who finished second, but both were timed in 2:26:27.

2:24 p.m. Lead women are in Boston
Ndereba is still looking strong as she heads to the finish. Fatuma Roba is fading and may be caught in the last few yards by Irina Bogacheva.

2:23 p.m. Lead women are in Boston
Catherine Ndereba has turned up Hereford Street. She appears headed to her first Boston win.

2:22 p.m. Lead women are in Boston
Catherine Ndereba is pulling away. Roba is fading fast, and may finish third.

2:20 p.m. Lead women are in Boston
Fatuma Roba and Catherine Ndereba are neck and neck, with Irina Bogacheva about 12 second behind as they pass through Kenmore Square. Bogacheva is closing fast.

2:17 p.m. Lead women are in Boston
Fatuma Roba is making a move as she and Catherine Ndereba cross the Mass. Ndereba answered, but Roba has a three or four yard lead. Irina Bogacheva is in third place and closing.

2:10 p.m. Men have finished; women are in Brookline
In the men's race, Gezahenge Abera of Ethiopia finished second, with Moses Tanui of Kenya third and Ondoro Osoro of Kenya fourth. Men's winner Elijah Lagat of Kenya has just been crowned with the traditional laurel wreath.

2:09 p.m. MEN'S CHAMPION FINISHES
Elijah Lagat has won the Boston Marathon in 2:09:47, outsprinting Gezahenge Abera and Moses Tanui. Abera was given the same time, Tanui was three seconds back. It's the tenth win in a row for a Kenyan man and the closest race ever.

2:08 p.m. Lead runners are in Boston
The top three men are sprinting down Boylston Street, moments from the finish. Elijah Lagat continues to hold a lead, but Gezahenge Abera is on his heels. It's going to be close!

2:07 p.m. Lead runners are in Boston
Moses Tanui has just made a move, but he has already been caught by Elijah Lagat, who looks strong as he picks up the pace with less than a mile to go. Gezahenge Abera is answering the challenge as well.

2:05 p.m. Lead runners are in Boston
The three men passed the 25 mile mark in 2:04:00, well off the record.

2:01 p.m. Lead runners are in Brookline
The lead packs remain three for the men and two for the women as the race enters its final miles.

1:58 p.m. Lead runners are in Brookline
A pack of three men is running strong through Coolidge Corner. The leader is Elijah Lagat, followed by Gezahenge Abera and Moses Tanui. Catherine Ndereba and Fatuma Roba are side-by-side in the women's race.

1:54 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Kenyan Catherine Ndereba has taken over the women's lead on Heartbreak Hill. Roba appears relaxed, however, and is sticking with her. Ndereba is perhaps the finest woman distance runners on the roads, but has yet to run a breakthrough marathon. She will be tough to outsprint.

1:52 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Among the women, Fatuma Roba has a lead in her attempt to win a record fourth straight Boston Marathon, but Kenyan Catherine Ndereba is closing fast as they run through the Newton hills.

1:48 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Moses Tanui, a two-time champion, has taken over the lead as the pack of men runners begins to break up. On his heels are Elijah Lagat and Gezahenge Abera. The men passed 20 miles in 1:40:01.

1:45 p.m. WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR CHAMPION FINISHES
Jean Driscoll has won her eighth Boston Marathon women's wheelchair division, in the time of 2:00:52. That sets a record for the most individual wins, breaking the mark she had held with Clarence DeMar.

1:42 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Jean Driscoll, a seven-time winner, still has the women's wheelchair lead as she heads through Kenmore Square. She has about a 15 second lead on Louise Sauvage, though Sauvage is closing.

1:38 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
A group of a dozen runners are swapping the lead in the men's race. Among them are most of the favorites, including Kenyans Laban Nkete, Moses Tanui, Ondoro Osoro, John Kagwe, Elijah Lagat and Daniel Busienei, along with Ethiopian Gezahenge Abera.

1:34 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Laban Nkete has jumped out in front of the men's pack as they head into the Newton Hills. Kenyan David Busienei is second, followed closely by a tight pack.

1:31 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Fatuma Roba is making a move. She has opened about a 20-yard lead and the pack behind her is breaking up a bit. Elana Meyer has fallen off the pace. Sun Yingjie is currently in second and Lornah Kiplagat is moving up.

1:30 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Jean Driscoll is leading the women's wheelchair race as the athletes' enter Boston. Louise Sauvage, a tremendous sprinter, is behind her, but appears to be gaining.

1:27 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
Irina Bogacheva is now leading the women's race, with Anuta Catuna, Fatuma Roba, Sun Yingjie and Elana Meyer hanging with her. They have picked up the pace.

1:22 p.m. Lead runners are in Newton
The lead men have crossed over Rte. 128 and are now in Newton, heading to Commonwealth Avenue and Heartbreak Hill. Jackson Kabiga ran the last two miles in 4:55 and 4:53, but the pack has caught up with him. Among the leaders now are Moses Tanui, John Kagwe and Ethiopian Gezahenge Abera.

1:18 p.m. MEN'S WHEELCHAIR CHAMPION FINISHES
Franz Nietlispach of Switzerland has won the 104th Boston Marathon wheelchair division in a time of 1:33:32. No one else is in sight. This is his fourth-straight win. He is being crowned with a laurel wreath by Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci.

1:16 p.m. Lead runners are in Wellesley
Franz Nietlispach is rolling through Kenmore Square and will be the men's winner when he finishes in a few minutes.

1:11 p.m. Lead runners are in Wellesey
Jackson Kabiga of Kenya is making a break in the men's race. He has opened a 50-yard lead on the pack. Also in the lead pack of men are favorites Moses Tanui and Joseph Chebet. Tanui in particular looks strong, and was credited with the lead at the half-marathon, in 1:05:42.

1:09 p.m. Lead runners are in Wellesley
Jean Driscoll is making a move in the women's wheelchair race as they roll through the Newton hills.

1:06 p.m. Lead runners are in Wellesley
The lead men are approaching the halfway point in Wellesley. No one has yet made a break, in part because of the headwind they are facing. The women are in Natick.

1:04 p.m. Lead runners are in Wellelsey
The lead wheelchair athletes are heading into Heartbreak Hill, with Franz Nietlispach still leading the men by about two minutes over Heinz Frei, and Jean Driscoll and Louise Sauvage leading the women.

1:00 p.m. Lead runners are in Wellesley
The men's lead pack of about 20 is passing by Wellesley College, one of the most memorable parts of the course. The women of Wellesley make so much noise cheering for runners that this section is referred to as the "Screech Tunnel."

12:53 p.m. Lead runners are in Natick
Simon Mpholo, John Kagwe and Isaac Kiprono are the men's leaders. Anuta Catuna continues to lead the women's race, with four other runners on her shoulder as they pass Natick Center.

12:48 p.m. Lead runners are in Natick
The women's wheelchair race has settled down to a duel between Louise Sauvage and Jean Driscoll, who have finished one-two for the last four years. They are in Wellesley. Driscoll has won this race seven times, from 1990-96, but Sauvage has won the last three.

12:46 p.m. Lead runners are in Natick
Simon Mpholo, a rookie marathoner from Kenya, has a short lead on a large group of men in Natick. Irina Bogacheva of Kyrgyzstan, the only competitor from her country, is also among the pack of five women's leaders.

12:43 p.m. Lead runners are in Natick
Anuta Catuna has a shoulder's length lead on Fatuma Roba. Elana Meyer and Sun Yingjie, who led for most of the early race last year, are right behind.

12:38 p.m. Lead runners are in Natick
John Kagwe of Kenya, a legitimate threat to win the race, has grabbed the lead for a while. The pace is slow -- the last two miles were in about 5:10. Reports from the course say the strong headwind is a factor.

12:32 p.m. Lead runners are in Framingham
The men's pack has caught up to early leader Makoto Sasaki of Japan. He is now one of about 20 runners at the 6.5 mile mark in Framingham. Fatuma Roba is still leading the women's race. Five women, including Elana Meyer, Lornah Kilpagat and Anuta Catuna are right with her.

12:30 p.m. Lead runners are in Framingham
Franz Nietlispach is building on his huge lead in the men's wheelchair race. He passed the 12-mile mark in Wellesley in 34:26. No other competitiors are in sight.

12:23 a.m. Lead runners are in Framingham
Makoto Sasaki of Japan is still leading the men's race as they cross into Framingham. His fourth mile was in 4:58, but he slowed to 5:09 for mile five.

12:17 p.m. Lead runners are in Ashland
Makoto Sasaki of Japan has a 100-yard lead on the men's field, but poised behind him are the Kenyans, South Africans and Ethiopians who are favored. Lornah Kiplagat of Kenya, Anuta Catuna and Fatuma Roba are bunched at the lead of the women's race.

12:15 p.m. Lead runners are in Ashland
The lead runners have passed the three-mile mark in Ashland. Early men's leader is Makoto Sasaki of Japan. Fatuma Roba is leading the women's race. The first three one-mile splits were 5:02, 5:03 and 5:03.

12:10 p.m. Lead runners are in Ashland
Franz Nietlispach of Switzerland has a huge lead in the men's wheelchair race. He's already about nine miles into the race, in Natick.

12:05 p.m. Lead runners are in Framingham
The runners are still tightly bunched. Fatuma Roba is leading the women's race, running stride-by-stride with Elana Meyer of South Africa and Anuta Catuna of Romania.

12:02 p.m. Lead runners are in Hopkinton
Like matadors outrunning a stampeding bull, the elite runners sprinted from the starting line to quickly put some distance between themselves and the 18,000 official runners behind them. Back-of-the-pack runners continue to stream across the starting line. It will take more than 10 minutes for all the starters to actually begin the race.

Noon BOSTON MARATHON HAS STARTED
The lead runners have sprinted away from the start as the 104th Boston Marathon gets underway.

Earlier webcast

	3:08 p.m.	Lead runners have finished
	The Hoyts, father Dick pushing wheelchair-bound son Rick, have just finished. It's the 20th Boston Marathon for these perennial crowd favorites. [ More on the Hoyts ]
	2:40 p.m.	Lead runners have finished
	Runners are streaming across the finish line, and will continue to do so even after 6 p.m., which is when the BAA stops keeping official time. BAA statisticians say the women's race had the closest spread ever among the top three runners.
	2:31 p.m.	Lead runners have finished
	The race for second place among the women, between Fatuma Roba and Irina Bogacheva, was so close that it took a stop-action camera to separate them. Although Roba's foot appeared to hit the touchpad first, Bogacheva's body crossed the plane of the finish line first, BAA officials ruled.
	2:29 p.m.	Lead runners have finished
	Catherine Ndereba had tears streaming down her face as the Kenyan national anthem was played in her honor. She has received her trophy and laurel wreath from Gov. Paul Cellucci.
	2:26 p.m.	WOMEN'S CHAMPION FINISHES
	Catherine Ndereba has won the women's division of the 104th Boston Marathon in 2:26:10. Fatuma Roba and Irina Bogacheva sprinted and finished side-by-side. It's not clear who finished second, but both were timed in 2:26:27.
	2:24 p.m.	Lead women are in Boston
	Ndereba is still looking strong as she heads to the finish. Fatuma Roba is fading and may be caught in the last few yards by Irina Bogacheva.
	2:23 p.m.	Lead women are in Boston
	Catherine Ndereba has turned up Hereford Street. She appears headed to her first Boston win.
	2:22 p.m.	Lead women are in Boston
	Catherine Ndereba is pulling away. Roba is fading fast, and may finish third.
	2:20 p.m.	Lead women are in Boston
	Fatuma Roba and Catherine Ndereba are neck and neck, with Irina Bogacheva about 12 second behind as they pass through Kenmore Square. Bogacheva is closing fast.
	2:17 p.m.	Lead women are in Boston
	Fatuma Roba is making a move as she and Catherine Ndereba cross the Mass. Ndereba answered, but Roba has a three or four yard lead. Irina Bogacheva is in third place and closing.
	2:10 p.m.	Men have finished; women are in Brookline
	In the men's race, Gezahenge Abera of Ethiopia finished second, with Moses Tanui of Kenya third and Ondoro Osoro of Kenya fourth. Men's winner Elijah Lagat of Kenya has just been crowned with the traditional laurel wreath.
	2:09 p.m.	MEN'S CHAMPION FINISHES
	Elijah Lagat has won the Boston Marathon in 2:09:47, outsprinting Gezahenge Abera and Moses Tanui. Abera was given the same time, Tanui was three seconds back. It's the tenth win in a row for a Kenyan man and the closest race ever.
	2:08 p.m.	Lead runners are in Boston
	The top three men are sprinting down Boylston Street, moments from the finish. Elijah Lagat continues to hold a lead, but Gezahenge Abera is on his heels. It's going to be close!
	2:07 p.m.	Lead runners are in Boston
	Moses Tanui has just made a move, but he has already been caught by Elijah Lagat, who looks strong as he picks up the pace with less than a mile to go. Gezahenge Abera is answering the challenge as well.
	2:05 p.m.	Lead runners are in Boston
	The three men passed the 25 mile mark in 2:04:00, well off the record.
	2:01 p.m.	Lead runners are in Brookline
	The lead packs remain three for the men and two for the women as the race enters its final miles.
	1:58 p.m.	Lead runners are in Brookline
	A pack of three men is running strong through Coolidge Corner. The leader is Elijah Lagat, followed by Gezahenge Abera and Moses Tanui. Catherine Ndereba and Fatuma Roba are side-by-side in the women's race.
	1:54 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Kenyan Catherine Ndereba has taken over the women's lead on Heartbreak Hill. Roba appears relaxed, however, and is sticking with her. Ndereba is perhaps the finest woman distance runners on the roads, but has yet to run a breakthrough marathon. She will be tough to outsprint.
	1:52 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Among the women, Fatuma Roba has a lead in her attempt to win a record fourth straight Boston Marathon, but Kenyan Catherine Ndereba is closing fast as they run through the Newton hills.
	1:48 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Moses Tanui, a two-time champion, has taken over the lead as the pack of men runners begins to break up. On his heels are Elijah Lagat and Gezahenge Abera. The men passed 20 miles in 1:40:01.
	1:45 p.m.	WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR CHAMPION FINISHES
	Jean Driscoll has won her eighth Boston Marathon women's wheelchair division, in the time of 2:00:52. That sets a record for the most individual wins, breaking the mark she had held with Clarence DeMar.
	1:42 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Jean Driscoll, a seven-time winner, still has the women's wheelchair lead as she heads through Kenmore Square. She has about a 15 second lead on Louise Sauvage, though Sauvage is closing.
	1:38 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	A group of a dozen runners are swapping the lead in the men's race. Among them are most of the favorites, including Kenyans Laban Nkete, Moses Tanui, Ondoro Osoro, John Kagwe, Elijah Lagat and Daniel Busienei, along with Ethiopian Gezahenge Abera.
	1:34 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Laban Nkete has jumped out in front of the men's pack as they head into the Newton Hills. Kenyan David Busienei is second, followed closely by a tight pack.
	1:31 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Fatuma Roba is making a move. She has opened about a 20-yard lead and the pack behind her is breaking up a bit. Elana Meyer has fallen off the pace. Sun Yingjie is currently in second and Lornah Kiplagat is moving up.
	1:30 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Jean Driscoll is leading the women's wheelchair race as the athletes' enter Boston. Louise Sauvage, a tremendous sprinter, is behind her, but appears to be gaining.
	1:27 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	Irina Bogacheva is now leading the women's race, with Anuta Catuna, Fatuma Roba, Sun Yingjie and Elana Meyer hanging with her. They have picked up the pace.
	1:22 p.m.	Lead runners are in Newton
	The lead men have crossed over Rte. 128 and are now in Newton, heading to Commonwealth Avenue and Heartbreak Hill. Jackson Kabiga ran the last two miles in 4:55 and 4:53, but the pack has caught up with him. Among the leaders now are Moses Tanui, John Kagwe and Ethiopian Gezahenge Abera.
	1:18 p.m.	MEN'S WHEELCHAIR CHAMPION FINISHES
	Franz Nietlispach of Switzerland has won the 104th Boston Marathon wheelchair division in a time of 1:33:32. No one else is in sight. This is his fourth-straight win. He is being crowned with a laurel wreath by Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci.
	1:16 p.m.	Lead runners are in Wellesley
	Franz Nietlispach is rolling through Kenmore Square and will be the men's winner when he finishes in a few minutes.
	1:11 p.m.	Lead runners are in Wellesey
	Jackson Kabiga of Kenya is making a break in the men's race. He has opened a 50-yard lead on the pack. Also in the lead pack of men are favorites Moses Tanui and Joseph Chebet. Tanui in particular looks strong, and was credited with the lead at the half-marathon, in 1:05:42.
	1:09 p.m.	Lead runners are in Wellesley
	Jean Driscoll is making a move in the women's wheelchair race as they roll through the Newton hills.
	1:06 p.m.	Lead runners are in Wellesley
	The lead men are approaching the halfway point in Wellesley. No one has yet made a break, in part because of the headwind they are facing. The women are in Natick.
	1:04 p.m.	Lead runners are in Wellelsey
	The lead wheelchair athletes are heading into Heartbreak Hill, with Franz Nietlispach still leading the men by about two minutes over Heinz Frei, and Jean Driscoll and Louise Sauvage leading the women.
	1:00 p.m.	Lead runners are in Wellesley
	The men's lead pack of about 20 is passing by Wellesley College, one of the most memorable parts of the course. The women of Wellesley make so much noise cheering for runners that this section is referred to as the "Screech Tunnel."
	12:53 p.m.	Lead runners are in Natick
	Simon Mpholo, John Kagwe and Isaac Kiprono are the men's leaders. Anuta Catuna continues to lead the women's race, with four other runners on her shoulder as they pass Natick Center.
	12:48 p.m.	Lead runners are in Natick
	The women's wheelchair race has settled down to a duel between Louise Sauvage and Jean Driscoll, who have finished one-two for the last four years. They are in Wellesley. Driscoll has won this race seven times, from 1990-96, but Sauvage has won the last three.
	12:46 p.m.	Lead runners are in Natick
	Simon Mpholo, a rookie marathoner from Kenya, has a short lead on a large group of men in Natick. Irina Bogacheva of Kyrgyzstan, the only competitor from her country, is also among the pack of five women's leaders.
	12:43 p.m.	Lead runners are in Natick
	Anuta Catuna has a shoulder's length lead on Fatuma Roba. Elana Meyer and Sun Yingjie, who led for most of the early race last year, are right behind.
	12:38 p.m.	Lead runners are in Natick
	John Kagwe of Kenya, a legitimate threat to win the race, has grabbed the lead for a while. The pace is slow -- the last two miles were in about 5:10. Reports from the course say the strong headwind is a factor.
	12:32 p.m.	Lead runners are in Framingham
	The men's pack has caught up to early leader Makoto Sasaki of Japan. He is now one of about 20 runners at the 6.5 mile mark in Framingham. Fatuma Roba is still leading the women's race. Five women, including Elana Meyer, Lornah Kilpagat and Anuta Catuna are right with her.
	12:30 p.m.	Lead runners are in Framingham
	Franz Nietlispach is building on his huge lead in the men's wheelchair race. He passed the 12-mile mark in Wellesley in 34:26. No other competitiors are in sight.
	12:23 a.m.	Lead runners are in Framingham
	Makoto Sasaki of Japan is still leading the men's race as they cross into Framingham. His fourth mile was in 4:58, but he slowed to 5:09 for mile five.
	12:17 p.m.	Lead runners are in Ashland
	Makoto Sasaki of Japan has a 100-yard lead on the men's field, but poised behind him are the Kenyans, South Africans and Ethiopians who are favored. Lornah Kiplagat of Kenya, Anuta Catuna and Fatuma Roba are bunched at the lead of the women's race.
	12:15 p.m.	Lead runners are in Ashland
	The lead runners have passed the three-mile mark in Ashland. Early men's leader is Makoto Sasaki of Japan. Fatuma Roba is leading the women's race. The first three one-mile splits were 5:02, 5:03 and 5:03.
	12:10 p.m.	Lead runners are in Ashland
	Franz Nietlispach of Switzerland has a huge lead in the men's wheelchair race. He's already about nine miles into the race, in Natick.
	12:05 p.m.	Lead runners are in Framingham
	The runners are still tightly bunched. Fatuma Roba is leading the women's race, running stride-by-stride with Elana Meyer of South Africa and Anuta Catuna of Romania.
	12:02 p.m.	Lead runners are in Hopkinton
	Like matadors outrunning a stampeding bull, the elite runners sprinted from the starting line to quickly put some distance between themselves and the 18,000 official runners behind them. Back-of-the-pack runners continue to stream across the starting line. It will take more than 10 minutes for all the starters to actually begin the race.
	Noon	BOSTON MARATHON HAS STARTED
	The lead runners have sprinted away from the start as the 104th Boston Marathon gets underway.

	Earlier webcast