BOSTON -- Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defended the Boston Marathon title she said she could not enjoy a year ago after the fatal bombings.

Jeptoo finished Monday's race in a course-record 2 hours, 18 minutes, 57 seconds. She becomes the seventh three-time Boston Marathon champion.

Jeptoo broke away from a group of five runners at the 23-mile mark. Buzunesh Deba finished second with an unofficial time of 2:19:59.

American Shalane Flanagan finished fifth after leading for more than half the race.

Lanni Marchant of London, Ont., was the top Canadian in 14th.

Here's a list of all the wommen who have won the Boston Marathon:

2014 -- Rita Jeptoo, Kenya, 2:18:57

2013 -- Rita Jeptoo, Kenya, 2:26:25

2012 -- Sharon Cherop, Kenya, 2:31:50

2011 -- Caroline Kilel, Kenya, 2:22:36

2010 -- Teyba Erkesso, Ethiopia, 2:26:11

2009 -- Salina Kosgei, Kenya, 2:32:16

2008 -- Dire Tune, Ethiopia, 2:25:25

2007 -- Lidiya Grigoryeva, Russia, 2:29:18

2006 -- Rita Jeptoo, Kenya, 2:23:38

2005 -- Catherine Ndereba, Kenya, 2:25:13

2004 -- Catherine Ndereba, Kenya, 2:24:27

2003 -- Svetlana Zakharova, Russia, 2:25:20

2002 -- Margaret Okayo, Kenya, 2:20:43

2001 -- Catherine Ndereba, Kenya, 2:23:53

2000 -- Catherine Ndereba, Kenya, 2:26:11

1999 -- Fatuma Roba, Ethiopia, 2:23:25

1998 -- Fatuma Roba, Ethiopia, 2:23:21

1997 -- Fatuma Roba, Ethiopia, 2:26:24

1996 -- Uta Pippig, Germany, 2:27:12

1995 -- Uta Pippig, Germany, 2:25:11

1994 -- Uta Pippig, Germany, 2:21:45

1993 -- Olga Markova, Russia, 2:25:27

1992 -- Olga Markova, Russia, 2:23:43

1991 -- Wanda Panfil, Poland, 2:24:18

1990 -- Rosa Mota, Portugal, 2:25:24

1989 -- Ingrid Kristiansen, Norway, 2:24:33

1988 -- Rosa Mota, Portugal, 2:24:30

1987 -- Rosa Mota, Portugal, 2:25:21

1986 -- Ingrid Kristiansen, Norway, 2:24:55

1985 -- Lisa Weidenbach, United States, 2:34:06

1984 -- Lorraine Moller, New Zealand, 2:2928

1983 -- Joan Benoit, United States, 2:22:42

1982 -- Charlotte Teske, West Germany, 2:29:33

1981 -- Allison Roe, New Zealand, 2:26:46

1980 -- Jacqueline Gareau, Canada, 2:34:28

1979 -- Joan Benoit, United States, 2:35:15

1978 -- Gayle Barron, United States, 2:44:52

1977 -- Miki Gorman, Japan, 2:48:33

1976 -- Kim Merritt, United States, 2:47:10

1975 -- Liane Winter, West Germany, 2:42:24

1974 -- Miki Gorman, Japan, 2:47:11

1973 -- Jacqueline Hansen, United States, 3:05:59

1972 -- Nina Kuscik, United States, 3:08:58