http://cyberadal.wordpress.com/2014/04/21/american-meb-keflezighi-wins-boston-marathon-for-the-1st-time-since-1983/
“It was not about me,” said Keflezighi. “It was about Boston Strong.”
In perhaps the most emotional and daring victory in the history of the
world’s most fabled road race, Meb Keflezighi became the first American man
in 31 years to win the Boston Marathon, running away from the field and
hanging on to claim the 118th edition in 2 hours, 8 minutes, and 37 seconds.
That time was 11 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Wilson Chebet and 31 seconds
faster than Keflezighi’s personal best.
Keflezighi, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2009 New York champion who
was making his third bid here but his first since 2010 when he placed
fifth, was the first domestic titlist since Greg Meyer in 1983. Meyer
embraced Keflezighi at the finish line not far from where two deadly bombs
terminated last year’s race.
“It was not about me,” said Keflezighi. “It was about Boston Strong.”
The 38-year-old Keflezighi, an emigre from Eritrea who resettled in San
Diego with his 10 siblings, was the oldest male victor since Medford’s
Smiling Jimmy Henigan in 1931. By the 8-mile mark, Keflezighi and Josphat
Boit had an eight-second gap on the pack.
Coming out of Wellesley Hills, Keflezighi was all alone. By the firehouse
turn heading into the Newton hills, his lead had grown to 14 seconds. With
three miles to go Keflezighi was up by 40 seconds but was grimacing visibly
as Chebet was closing. But he found a final burst coming into Kenmore
Square and clinched the laurel wreath with a dash down Boylston Street,
alternately pumping his first and looking over his shoulder as Chebet and
countryman Frankline Chepkwony gave chase.
Keflezighi, who was forced to withdraw before last year’s race, still came
to Boston to watch and was inside the Fairmont Copley Plaza when the bombs
went off. “A tragedy happened in our life,” he said on Friday. “Somehow,
some way, we have to overcome.”
Ibrahim Suliman
Received on Mon Apr 21 2014 - 13:52:17 EDT