The famous Boston Marathon race returned to its usual date this year for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year also marked the 50th anniversary of women’s inclusion in the world’s oldest yearly marathon. Last year’s race was held in October instead of the usual third Monday in April. The event was delayed because of the pandemic. The 2020 race was first delayed and then canceled, also because of the pandemic. In the women’s division, Olympic gold medalist Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya placed first in an exciting finish. She and Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh traded places eight times in the last 1.6 kilometers of the race. Jepchirhir pulled ahead of Yeshaneh in the final 352 meters. She finished the 42.2-kilometer race in 2 hours, 21 minutes and one second -- four seconds ahead of Yeshaneh. Kenya’s Mary Ngugi came in third. Kenya’s Evans Chebet won the men’s race in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 51 seconds. He completed the race 30 seconds ahead of the next-fastest man, Gabriel Geay of Tanzania. Benson Kipruto, who won the 2021 Boston Marathon last October, came in third. American Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair division, while Switzerland’s Manuela Schar won her second straight title for the women’s wheelchair race.