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Reuters
Meb Keflezighi on Monday became the first U.S. male athlete to win the Boston Marathon in three decades, an emotional performance in a city still recovering from last year's fatal bombing attack on the world-renowned race.Keflezighi, who was born in Eritrea but is now a U.S. citizen, pulled ahead of a pack of elite African runners a little more than halfway into the race and held off a late challenge by Kenya's Wilson Chebet as the Boston crowd chanted "USA! USA!" His official time: two hours, eight minutes and 37 seconds.
Among the women, Kenya's Rita Jeptoo notched her second consecutive win of the race, smashing a 12-year course record with a blistering official time of two hours, 18 minutes and 57 seconds, reeling in American Shalane Flanagan, who had led the women for the first 20 miles of the 26.2-mile (42.2-km) race, setting a punishing pace.
The Guardian
The American Meb Keflezighi has won the men's race at the Boston Marathon, a year after the race was hit by two fatal bombings. In the women's race, Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defended the title she said she could not enjoy a year ago.On 15 April 2013, blasts near the finishing line of the race, in Copley Square, killed three and injured 260.
Keflezighi, 38, from San Diego and an Olympic silver medallist in 2004, crossed the finish line in an unofficial time of two hours, eight minutes and 37 seconds – a personal best if confirmed. He is a previous winner of the New York Marathon.
He ran from Hopkinton to the finish on Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay and held off Wilson Chebet of Kenya, who finished 11 seconds behind.
Keflezighi looked over his shoulder several times over the final mile. After realising he wouldn't be caught, he raised his sunglasses, began pumping his right fist and made the sign of the cross.
No US runner had won the race since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach took the women's title in 1985; the last American man to win was Greg Meyer in 1983.
NPR
In the men's field of the 118th Boston Marathon, American Meb Keflezighi ended a 31-year drought for U.S. runners, after holding off Wilson Chebet of Kenya in a race that came down to the final mile.According to race officials, Keflezighi, 38, ran a 4:56 split at mile 23, when he built a 20-second lead. That lead dwindled as the runners neared the finish line, but Keflezighi held off all challengers to win the race with an unofficial finishing time of 2:08:37.
The crowd roared as the Eritrean-born runner who lives in San Diego crossed the finish line, celebrating a much-needed U.S. victory in the historic race.
Before today, no American had finished first in the men's field since Gregory Meyer won in 1983. The last American woman to win was Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985.
New York Times
BOSTON — When the digital clocks along Boylston Street flashed 2:49 on Marathon Monday, nothing out of the ordinary happened. And that was reason for joyous celebration.At that moment last year, the first of two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three spectators and wounding more than 260 people. At that same moment this year, as the city held its collective breath for a moment of silence, runners crossed the line without incident. That feat sent up a Super Bowl’s worth of cheers from throngs of spectators, who clapped, hooted and rang cowbells under the warm afternoon sun.
“They got their city back!” said Kay Weir, 50, a runner from San Diego, who was one of several people crossing the finish line at that moment. “I’m stoked,” she said, despite having just run 26.2 miles, the first mile of which she spent in tears remembering the events of last year.
@runmeb Running with inspiration on his bib MR, LL, KC, SC #weruntogetherpic.twitter.com/AapsS77xIc
— Boston Marathon JH (@jhboston26) April 21, 2014PHOTO: Marathon bombing survivors Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky cross the finish line. http://t.co/...pic.twitter.com/vRCLaP8xfU
— Boston Globe Sports (@BGlobeSports) April 21, 2014