Presented by THE SANDWICH BAR.
This Day In Sports…April 21, 2014:
A year after the Boston Marathon bombing, Meb Keflezighi becomes the first American man to win the iconic race in 31 years—since Massachusetts resident Greg Meyer in 1983. Keflezighi, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Eritrea, was victorious by 11 seconds, running a personal best 2:08.36 in a field of 36,000 competitors, the most entries in 18 years. The 2013 tragedy had killed three people and injured more than 260. Keflezighi competed with the names of the three victims written on his race bib.
It was a particularly healing moment, capping 12 months of “Boston Strong” resilience for an event and a city that had been torn apart by the terrorist attack. The day began with a moment of silence—then quickly turned to jubilation as the race began, with a spirit of defiance serving as the backdrop for runners and spectators alike. Understandably, security had been massively increased for the event.
More than 5,000 police officers were on hand, including 500 working undercover. There were 100 cameras, 50 observation points, and bans imposed on bags, strollers, and bulky items. “I think it’s great,” one spectator told PBS. “I happen to believe those that say it’s the safest place on the planet today.” The day was a major triumph, especially for the repeat entries from among the 5,000 runners who were unable to complete the race the year before because of the bombing.
The term “Boston Strong” had been coined immediately following the 2013 race and permeated the community as a “we will not be intimidated” response to the bombings. It meant resilience and unity. The Boston Red Sox quickly adopted the phrase, and it was their theme by the time they played their next home game at Fenway Park. That’s when Red Sox star David “Big Papi” Ortiz famously declared, “This is our (expletive) city!” The team would go on to what seemed liked destiny, winning the 2013 World Series.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
