Meb Keflezighi is first American to win Boston Marathon since 1983
theGRIO REPORT - Meb Keflezighi became the first American to win the Boston Marathon since 1983 Monday...
Meb Keflezighi became the first American to win the Boston Marathon since 1983 Monday.
The Olympian’s stunning win comes just one year after the horrific double bombing at the marathon’s finish line. The two bombs killed three (8-year-old Martin Richard, 23-year-old Lu Lingzi and 29-year-old Krystle Campbell) and injured more than 260 participants and spectators.
Keflezighi wrote the bombing victims’ names, as well as Sean Collier, an MIT officer who was shot by the bombing suspects in the days following the bombing, on his marathon bib.
“Boston Strong. Meb Strong,” the 38-year-old said on local TV, reports NBC Sports. “I was going to give everything I had for the people. I have the victims on my bib number.”
An injury forced Keflezighi to withdraw from last year’s race. He was in the stands near the finish line and left about five minutes before the bombs went off.
The runner told NBC Sports that he has wanted to come back and win every day since.
The last American to win the Boston Marathon, Greg Meyer, reached out to Keflezighi to offer words of encouragement before the race and gave him a hug when he finished.
Keflezighi took home silver in the 2004 Olympic marathon event and won the New York City Marathon in 2009.
You can watch Keflezighi’s emotional finish above.
Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.
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