Americans to reclaim Boston

Don’t look now but American long distance runners are on a mission to reclaim the sport they helped develop.  Yes folks, in the 121st Boston Marathon held last year, the Americans made history by propelling six runners to top 10.  It’s been over 40 years since an American has won Boston.

The Kenyans and Ethiopians have been lording it over and even a few Japanese.  Last year however, the Americans led by Rio Olympics marathon bronze medalist Galen Rupp of the Nike Oregon Project, coached by former champion Alberto Salazar, served notice that they intend to end the Africans domination of the race.

Rupp clocked 2:09:37 to place second to Kenyan Geoffrey Kirui who timed 2:09:37.  Wow, that was close.  Kirui was at home in Boston (especially Heartbreak Hill) as he trains close to 9,000 feet in the hills of Kenya.  Californian Shadrack Biwott wound up fourth, while Abdi Abdiraham of Arizona, placed sixth in 2:12:16.  Augustus Maiyo of Colorado came in seventh in 2:13:16 with Luke Puskedra of Oregon winning ninth place in 2:14:15.  Olympian Jared Ward of Utah salvaged 10th place in 2:15:28. Another American Sean Quigley was 11th in 2:15:34.

In the Masters division, four-time champion Abdirahman (40 years old) won over 2014 Boston Marathon champion MebKeplezhi (41). Female Americans Jordan Hasay, Desi Linden and Liz Costello are also aiming to break the Africans reign.  Abdirahman and Keplezhi for a while threatened my good friend John Campbell’s mark of 2:11:04 in the 1990 Boston Marathon.

I met Campbell in 1988 when he won the PAL Manila Marathon. We became close friends and he invited me to bring my Nike team to New Zealand to train in his ranch.  John said all my runners have to do is run, sleep and eat.

Going back to Boston, the Americans has really improved, they only placed one runner (Hine) in the top 10.  Hine clocked 2:21:37 to salvage tenth.  The Ethiopians swept the top three while the Kenyans placed four runners in the top ten with Kirui winning fourth place in 2:14:05.