American long distance runner Meb Keflezighi has become the first man from his country to win the men's race of the Boston Marathon since 1983.
One year after a bombing there killed three people and left more than 260 injured, the 'Star-Spangled Banner' played over Boylston Street in honor of Meb Keflezighi, who added Boston to a resume that includes the New York City Marathon title in 2009 and a silver medal in the 2004 Olympics.
According to the Huffington Post, Keflezighi, who had the names of the 2013 bombing victims on his bib, completed the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to the finish on Boylston Street on Monday in a personal-best 2 hours, 8 minutes, 37 seconds, holding of Kenyan Wilson Chebet, who finished 11 seconds behind.
The report mentioned that no US 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.
Three-time Boston Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defended the women's title after finishing in a course-record 2 hours, 18 minutes, 57 seconds, the report added.