Overcoming unusually hot weather on Monday, first-year medical student Cheri Blauwet won the women's wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon with a time of 1:39:53 -- a significant improvement over her second-place finish last year in 1:54:57.

Temperatures had soared to 83 degrees by the time the race began on Monday.

The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest continuously run annual marathon and draws elite athletes from around the world.

Last month, Blauwet won the women's wheelchair division of the Los Angeles Marathon. She is also the current division champion of the New York Marathon.