On April 22 Beijing time, the 118th Boston Marathon concluded successfully. In this race, which drew an unprecedented number of spectators, Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo defended her women’s title with a time of 2:18:57, becoming the seventh woman in history to win the Boston Marathon three times. Her time not only improved her personal best by 8 minutes but also shaved nearly 2 minutes off the course record. In the men’s race, 39-year-old veteran Meb Keflezighi won the title with a time of 2:08:37, becoming the first American to claim victory since 1983. His win was the athletes’ powerful response to last year’s bombing tragedy.
Sister of fallen officer helps start the race
The 2013 Boston Marathon was overshadowed by the bombing near the finish line. A year later, as the race resumed, athletes dispelled those shadows with outstanding performances. Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo defended her title and became the seventh woman to win the Boston Marathon three times. Her winning time of 2:18:57 not only improved her personal best by 8 minutes but also set a new course record by nearly 2 minutes. In the men’s division, 39-year-old Meb Keflezighi—who was born in Eritrea and became a U.S. citizen at age 12—delivered an inspirational performance, winning the race in 2:08:37 and becoming the first American to take the title in 31 years since Greg Meyer in 1983. Keflezighi broke down in tears after his victory.
More than just the champions, the runners’ determination embodied the true spirit of marathon running. In the women’s race, American Shalane Flanagan led the pack for much of the first half at an astonishing pace. Though she finished fifth, Flanagan told the media afterward, “I hope to win the Boston Marathon one day—for Boston.” Her words stood as a powerful statement of resolve from American athletes, and Americans in general, to the world.
2014 Marathon Proved to Be a Year of Surprises
Looking back at this year’s marathons, unexpected incidents were all too common. At the New York City Half Marathon on March 16, British-Somali athlete Mo Farah, who won silver, collapsed right after crossing the finish line. After emergency treatment by medical personnel, he was found to be unharmed and was helped to a wheelchair. Farah later held a press conference to explain that the extreme cold weather and his all-out effort had caused the collapse.
The situation took a tragic turn at the London Marathon. Robert Berry, a 42-year-old man, collapsed and died shortly after finishing the race. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, he could not be saved. According to the Daily Mail, Berry had reported difficulty breathing a week before the race. An experienced runner, he had long battled this condition. Twenty years earlier, Berry’s 72-year-old mother was diagnosed with osteoporosis. Since then, he had been participating in running events to raise money for the National Osteoporosis Society. On his fundraising page, he wrote: “This page is dedicated to my mum, whose optimistic attitude despite her young-onset osteoporosis has been a great inspiration to me, even though she has had to endure pain and discomfort.”
Similarly, two days prior, at a half marathon in Córdoba, Argentina, 27-year-old local winner Juan Pablo Ponce collapsed and died shortly after the awards ceremony. Foreign media reported that a race spokesperson said there were three ambulances on standby, one of which was nearby, but doctors were unable to revive Ponce. Medical officials stated the cause of death was sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.