In an event that has been dominated by Kenyans in the past decades, the United States finally gets a break as Meb Keflezighi finished first in the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014, becoming the first American to do so in a span of three decades. The Boston Marathon 2014 was back one year after the horrific bombing which left over 260 viewers and runners injured, and three people dead.
Keflezighi heard the Star-Spangled Banner play on Boyslton Street when he finished the race first. He is 38 years old, only a couple of weeks shy of his 39th birthday, making him the oldest runner in the race. The champion also won the New York City Marathon in 2009 and grabbed a silver medal in the Olympics in 2004. He had the names of the bomb victims on his bib and said that before he finished, he always thought, "Boston Strong. Boston Strong." He convinced himself to give the race everything he had, the Huffington Post wrote.
According to Bleacher Report, the Boston Marathon was 26.2 miles long, starting from Hopkinton to Boston's Back Bay. Keflezighi finished at 2 hours, 8 minutes and 37 seconds, his personal best. At second place is Kenyan Wilson Chebet, just 11 seconds after the American. In the women's division, Kenyan Rita Jeptoo won first place, finishing at 2 hours, 18 minutes and 57 seconds, a new course record.
In a report by Syracuse.com, Keflezighi often looked over his shoulder during the last mile to make sure the Chebet was far behind. As he approached the finish line, he started pumping his fist and made the sign of the cross.
Keflezighi was born in Eritrea but grew up in the United States. His recent finish is the first home country victory in the men's division in over 30 years, which is the longest gap in race history. The last male American to win the Boston Marathon was Greg Meyer in 1983.