On Monday, the 127th annual Boston Marathon took place with Kenyan runners, Evans Chebet and Hellen Obiri winning the men’s and women’s races respectively (NBC Boston). While Chebet won the men’s race with a time of 2:09:11, Obiri clinched the women’s race with a time of 2:18:56, a new course record (USA Today). However, the race was not without controversy as some runners were not given medals as promised by the athletic association (Fox News). The association has vowed to send the promised medals to the runners as soon as possible.
Patty Hung, a 77-year-old, also made headlines as she set a new Boston Marathon record with her 37th straight finish (NBC Boston). Hung expressed her love for the sport stating that “running gives me joy, it gives me purpose and time to be with my family.” The Boston Globe reported that some of the runners ran the race in memory of Martin Richard, the eight-year-old boy killed in the explosions ten years ago, with three childhood pals representing a foundation in his name.
The marathon also saw some former athletes participate, including longtime Bruins defenseman, Zdeno Chára who stands at an impressive height of 6’9″ (Sports Illustrated). Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri, who moved to Boulder, Colorado to train for the marathon expressed her approach to the Boston Marathon stating that she had to be patient (The New York Times). Obiri had yet to achieve dominance in the marathon but with her win at the Boston Marathon, she has come one step closer to reaching her goal.
The Boston Marathon 2023 was also announced and is set to introduce a non-binary division, joining the New York and Chicago marathons (The Economic Times). Additionally, WMUR meteorologist Kevin Skarupa finished the marathon and raised $27,000 for Waypoint (WMUR).
Finally, over 100 golden retrievers gathered to cross the finish line in honor of Spencer, the official Boston Marathon dog, who lost his battle with cancer (TODAY). Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, who made his Boston Marathon debut, shared that he struggled with a left leg injury during the race (Boston.com).
Overall, the Boston Marathon had its ups and downs but nonetheless proved to be a successful event with inspiring stories of resilience and dedication.
