Lemi Hayle was crowned the men’s champion and Atsede Baysa won the women’s title at the 120th annual race. The 29-year-old runner from Liteshoa, Ethiopia, who won her first Boston in a time of 2:29:19 Monday, stunned the audience with her generous gesture.
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At least three local women represented Springfield in Monday’s 120th running of the Boston Marathon. He qualified for the Boston Marathon with his times in the El Paso Marathon (2:33) and the San Francisco Marathon (2:23.13) a year ago.
Baysa trailed by 37 seconds at the 35-kilometer checkpoint before chasing down Tirfi Tsegaye on Beacon Street in Brookline, two miles from the finish line.
In the end, her own steely determination and the cheers, real and virtual, of people who lined the route and took to social media powered her to the same finish line where a bomb had left her shredded and bleeding three years earlier. “I can use this talent and gift and passion to mentor (students), and help them set goals”. From about the 10K mark through the first seven miles, Gracey and Crouch were leading the women.
Security is tight for Monday’s race – the third since a pair of bombings killed three spectators and wounded more than 260 others at the finish line in 2013.
Elsewhere, the Boston Red Sox welcomed Jeff Bauman, who lost both legs in the 2013 bombings then played a key role in identifying the attackers, to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park.
Her medal hanging around her neck, Haslet posted a photo of herself opening a bottle of champagne with the caption: “I have no words”. The Boston Athletic Association honored her this year on the 50th anniversary of that run.
“It reminded me that God has given me this gift and it’s not always easy”, Ash said.
“I was really happy”, Gracey said of the Boston Marathon.
Hayle crossed the finish line 47 seconds ahead of Desisa (2:13:32). Manuela Schar of Switzerland finished second (1:43.30) and five-time victor Wakako Tsuchida of Japan took third (1:43.34).
“I was able to watch part of her race in philosophy today and I was so excited to see how she did”, Margeaux said. “If anything it makes me want to support them more”.Zachary Hine of Dallas was the top US man, finishing 10th.Gracey was born into marathoning.
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Gracey, 26, of Superior, Colorado, is an eight-time NCAA Division II national champion who decided last fall to try the 26.2-mile distance. “So I chose to go fast and try to win”, Desisa said.
