118TH BOSTON MARATHON

Keflezighi, 38, wins for his country

BOSTON - “The Star-Spangled Banner” played over Boylston Street in honor of an American winner of the Boston Marathon.

One year after a bombing there killed three people and left more than 260 injured, Meb Keflezighi added Boston to a resume that includes the New York City Marathon title in 2009 and a silver medal in the 2004 Olympics.

Running just two weeks before his 39th birthday, he had the names of the 2013 bombing victims on his bib.

“At the end, I just kept thinking, ‘Boston Strong. Boston Strong,’” he said. “I was thinking ‘Give everything you have. If you get beat, that’s iti.’”

Keflezighi completed the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to the finish on Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay on Mondayin a personal-best 2 hours, 8 minutes, 37 seconds. He held off Kenya’s Wilson Chebet, who finished 11 seconds behind.

Two former Arkansas Razorbacks, Josphat Boit and Scott MacPherson, were among the top 20 finishers. Boit, a two-time NCAA champion for the Razorbacks as a senior in 2006, finished 11th in 2:12.52 after running second to Keflezighi for most of the race.MacPherson finished 19th in 2:17.46.

Keflezighi went out early and built a big lead. But he was looking over his shoulder several times as Chebet closed the gap over the final two miles. After realizing he wouldn’t be caught, Keflezighi raised his sunglasses, began pumping his right fist and made the sign of the cross. He broke into tears after crossing the finish line, then draped himself in the American flag.

No U.S. 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. Meyer and Keflezighi embraced after the race.

Keflezighi was born in Ethiopia and lived there until 1987, when his family emigrated to the U.S., became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1998, the same year he graduated from UCLA.

“I’m blessed to be an American and God bless America and God bless Boston for this special day,” Keflezighi said.

Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defended the women’s title she said she could not enjoy a year ago. Jeptoo finished in a course-record 2:18.57. She is a three-time Boston Marathon champion, having also won in 2006.

“I came here to support the people in Boston and show them that we are here together,” she said. “I decided to support them and show them we are here together.”

Jeptoo broke away from a group of five runners at the 23-mile mark. Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia finished second in 2:19:59. Countrywoman Mare Dibaba was third at 2:19:52. All three women came in under the previous course record.

American Shalane Flanagan, who went to high school in nearby Marblehead, finished seventh after leading for more than half the race. She gambled by setting the early pace, but fell back on the Newton Hills about 21 miles into the race.

“It does mean a lot to be that my city was proud of me,” she said. “I’m proud of how I ran. I don’t wish it was easier. I wish I was better.”

Four-time Little Rock marathon women’s winner Leah Thorvilson was entered as an elite runner, but did not start because of a knee injury.

Keflezighi broke a 27-year American drought when he won in New York in 2009, finished fourth at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and was contemplating retirement after the 2012 New York race.

But the 2012 New York Marathon was canceled because of Superstorm Sandy, and Keflezighi pulled out of the Boston Marathon last April because of injury. He watched the race from the stands at the finish line, but said he left about five minutes before the bombs went off.

His silver medal at the 2004 Olympics was the firstfor an American since Frank Shorter won gold in 1972 and silver in 1976.

Another American, Tatyana McFadden, celebrated her 25th birthday Monday by winning the women’s wheelchair race for the second consecutive year. She was timed in 1:35:06.

McFadden was born in Russia and lived in an orphanage as a child before starring at the University of Illinois. She also won the 2013 NYC marathon women’s wheelchair race after taking the titles in Boston, London and Chicago last year.

Ernst van Dyk of South Africa won the men’s wheelchair division for a record 10th time. The 41-year-old crossed in 1 hour, 20 minutes, 36 seconds.

Van Dyk holds the record for most all-categories Boston Marathon victories. This was his first victory at this race since 2010.

Last year’s men’s champion, Lelisa Desisa, did not finish this year’s race, and had to be picked up by a van about 21 miles into the event.

Marathon officials said 35,755 runners registered for the race, with 32,408 unofficial starters. The field included just less than 5,000 runners who were not able to finish last year and accepted invitations to return this year.

Top 20 finishers

MEN PL. NAME, HOMETOWN TIME

  1. Meb Keflezighi, San Diego 2:08:37
  2. Wilson Chebet, Kenya 2:08:48
  3. Frankline Chepkwony, Kenya 2:08:50
  4. Vitaliy Shafar, Ukraine 2:09:37
  5. Markos Geneti, Ethiopia 2:09:50
  6. Joel Kimurer, Kenya 2:11:03
  7. Nicholas Arciniaga, Flagstaff, Ariz. 2:11:47
  8. Jeffrey Eggleston, Boulder, Colo. 2:11:57
  9. Paul Lonyangata, Kenya 2:12:34
  10. Adil Annani, Morocco 2:12:43
  11. Josphat Boit, Mammoth Lakes, Calif. 2:12:52
  12. Craig Leon, Eugene, Ore. 2:14:28
  13. Mike G. Morgan, Rochester Hills, Mich. 2:14:40
  14. Koichi Sakai, Japan 2:14:56
  15. Lusapho April, South Africa 2:14:59
  16. Abdi Abdirahman, Tucson, Ariz. 2:16:06
  17. Micah Kogo, Kenya 2:17:12
  18. Brett Gotcher, La Selva Beach , Calif. 2:17:16
  19. Scott Macpherson, Columbia, Mo. 2:17:46
  20. Ryan Hall, Redding, Calif. 2:17:50

WOMEN

PL. NAME, HOMETOWN TIME

  1. Rita Jeptoo, Kenya 2:18:57
  2. Buzunesh Deba, Ethiopia 2:19:59
  3. Mare Dibaba, Ethiopia 2:20:35
  4. Jemima Jelagat Sumgong, Kenya 2:20:41
  5. Meselech Melkamu, Ethiopia 2:21:28
  6. Aleksandra Duliba, Belarus 2:21:29
  7. Shalane Flanagan, Portland, Ore. 2:22:02
  8. Sharon Cherop, Kenya 2:23:00
  9. Philes Ongori, Kenya 2:23:22
  10. Desiree Linden, Rochester Hills, Mich. 2:23:54
  11. Belaynesh Oljira, Ethiopia 2:24:21
  12. Yeshi Esayias, Ethiopia 2:27:40
  13. Tatiana Petrova Arkhipova, Russia 2:30:29
  14. Lanni Marchant, Canada 2:30:34
  15. Adriana Nelson, Fort Collins, Colo. 2:31:15
  16. Adriana Aparecida da Silva, Brazil 2:31:18
  17. Caroline Kilel, Kenya 2:32:04
  18. Serena Burla, Stafford, Va. 2:32:27
  19. Wendy Thomas, Windsor, Colo. 2:32:49
  20. Esther Erb, Lambertville, N.J. 2:33:15

Former Arkansas Razorbacks in bold

Sports, Pages 16 on 04/22/2014

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