The 119 Boston Marathon once again captivated the region, showcasing some of the most impressive athletes in the world. Elite contenders in several race classifications all vied for top positions, and the competition was as fierce as ever. Winning in Boston is one of the most prestigious achievements a professional marathoner can attain. Meb Keflizighi was back to try and defend his crown, while fellow American Shalane Flanagan was attempting to break the 30 year drought for the U.S. women.

Yet in 2015, the results were not to be for U.S. runners, as Caroline Rotich of Kenya won the women’s classification, while Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa won the men’s race. For Desisa, it was his second win, with the first coming in 2013. Notably, he gave his medal back that year as a gesture to the city in the wake of the tragedy of the 2013 Boston Marathon. Now, he’s forged a new memory, and gets yet another first place medal.

Achievement in the Boston Marathon is, by definition, a hard fought result. With that in mind, the list of winners in the 2015 Marathon showcases not only the strongest runners, but also the most mentally tough. Conquering unique challenges posed by Boston’s course (like Heartbreak Hill in Newton) requires a degree of toughness that’s largely absent on flatter courses.

Here’s a complete list of winners for the 2015 Boston Marathon:

Men’s Wheelchair Division:

1st: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) 1:29:53

2nd: Masazumi Soejima (Japan) 1:36:27

3rd: Ernst Van Dyk (South Africa) 1:36:27

4th: Kota Hotinoue (Japan) 1:36:29

5th: Tomasz Hamerlak (Poland) 1:38:14

Women’s Wheelchair Division:

1st: Tatyana McFadden (USA) 1:52:54

2nd: Wakako Tsuchida (Japan) 1:53:48

3rd: Susannah Scaroni (USA) 1:57:21

4th: Amanda McGrory (USA) 1:57:21

Women’s Race:

1st: Caroline Rotich (Kenya) 2:24:55

2nd: Mare Dibaba (Ethiopia) 2:24:59

3rd: Buzunesh Deba (Ethiopia) 2:25:09

4th: Desiree Linden (USA) 2:25:39

5th: Sharon Cherop (Kenya) 2:26:05

Men’s Race:

1st: Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia) 2:09:17

2nd: Yemane Adhane Tsegay (Ethiopia) 2:09:48

3rd: Wilson Chebet (Kenya) 2:10:22

4th: Bernard Kipyego (Kenya) 2:10:47

5th: Wesley Korir (Kenya) 2:10:49

Beginning in Hopkinton, the first impression of the 2015 race was that unlike 2012, or even last year in 2014, heat would not be a factor at all. Opposite conditions, in fact, were prevalent, as cloud cover, wind and pockets of rain were predicted. Still, the crowds rose to the occasion as they always do, cheering adamantly as runners passed. Beginning formally shortly before 9 a.m., the various waves of participants filed out in incremental start times over the course of the morning. The start of the wheelchair divisions was (as always) awesome to watch, with the aerodynamic racers rolling out at a first pace across the largely downhill part of the Hopkinton start.

Total prize money for the race is $830,000, with an additional $220,000 coming should records be broken. Here’s a breakdown of the payouts for elite runners:

1st place for men’s and women’s runner classifications: $150,000

2nd place: $75,000

3rd place: $40,000

You can read more stories on Boston startups, technology and innovation at https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/inno