BY SCOTT MALONE, SVEA HERBST-BAYLISS AND RICHARD VALDMANIS
Mon Apr 21, 2014
BOSTON –(Reuters) – Meb Keflezighi on Monday became the first U.S. male athlete to win the Boston Marathon in three decades as onlookers chanted “USA! USA!,” an emotional performance in a city still recovering from last year’s fatal bombing attack.
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 to finish in 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 time of two hours, 18 minutes and 57 seconds, reeling in American Shalane Flanagan, who had set a punishing pace as she led the women for the first 20 miles of the 26.2-mile (42.2-km) race…Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia was second and compatriot Mare Dibaba third. They too turned in faster performances than the previous course record of 2:20:43 set in 2002 by Margaret Okayno of Kenya.
Among the male runners, Wilson Chebet of Kenya finished second and Frankline Chepkwony, also of Kenya, was third.
Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa, last year’s winner, did not finish, race officials said.
Rita Jeptoo of Kenya breaks the tape to win the women’s division of the Boston Marathon. (Photo: AP)
The defending champion Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa did not finish the race. (Photo: ESPN)
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