Boston Marathon 2015 Results: Finishing Times and Post-Race Comments
The 2015 Boston Marathon marked the 119th annual running of the celebrated distance race, and a familiar face emerged as the men's champion.
Lelisa Desisa won the race in 2013, when the tragic Boston Marathon bombings occurred. Desisa returned his first-place medal that year but will likely keep the one he earned this time around.
| 1 | Lelisa Desisa | 2:09:17 | ETH |
| 2 | Yemane Adhane Tsegay | 2:09:48 | ETH |
| 3 | Wilson Chebet | 2:10:22 | KEN |
| 4 | Bernard Kipyego | 2:10:47 | KEN |
| 5 | Wesley Korir | 2:10:49 | KEN |
| 6 | Frankline Chepkwony | 2:10:52 | KEN |
| 7 | Dathan Ritzenhein | 2:11:20 | USA |
| 8 | Meb Keflezighi | 2:12:42 | USA |
| 9 | Tadese Tola | 2:13:35 | ETH |
| 10 | Vitaliy Shafar | 2:13:52 | UKR |
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ESPN Endurance shared the brief but fitting quote Desisa provided afterward once he'd secured his second Boston Marathon triumph in three years:
"Lelisa Desisa: This medal is…I think for me. ---- He donated his 2013 champion's medal after the tragic events. #BostonMarathon
— ESPN Endurance (@ESPN_Endurance) April 20, 2015"
In the women's race, Kenyan native Caroline Rotich wasn't going to be denied in her bid to claim victory.
| 1 | Caroline Rotich | 2:24:55 | KEN |
| 2 | Mare Dibaba | 2:24:59 | ETH |
| 3 | Buzunesh Deba | 2:25:09 | ETH |
| 4 | Desiree Linden | 2:25:39 | USA |
| 5 | Sharon Cherop | 2:26:05 | KEN |
| 6 | Caroline Kilel | 2:26:40 | KEN |
| 7 | Aberu Kebede | 2:26:52 | ETH |
| 8 | Shure Demise | 2:27:14 | ETH |
| 9 | Shalane Flanagan | 2:27:47 | USA |
| 10 | Joyce Chepkirui | 2:29:07 | KEN |
"I got to the last corner and I saw the finish line tape and I thought, 'This is it, I'm not going to let it go,'" said Rotich, per The Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "I was like, 'No, not today.' And I kept going."
The Patriots' Day showcase brought out plenty of competitors, spectators and national pride by those the tragedy of 2013 impacted.
Defending men's champion Meb Keflezighi did his best to pull off back-to-back titles, but he couldn't quite make it the last few miles and settled for eighth—still a commendable effort, of course.
Keflezighi was forced to stop numerous times to vomit when he took a drink of water that didn't quite settle.
"Last year was an epic race, epic moment for Boston, for the United States and for the world," said Keflezighi on Universal Sports, per NBCSports.com's Nick Zaccardi. "I was hoping to defend it, but as soon as I got to…mile 21, 22, just tough going. I took a drink. It didn't go down. They made a big move. The separation happened."
Despite the disappointment of not competing as well as he could have for first, Keflezighi still made the most of his final moments down Boylston Street, joining hands with American compatriot Hilary Dionne at the finish line.
It was a wonderful way to conclude the day for both, and Dionne posted on Twitter about it later on:
"I was crying on Boylston Street, because it was bringing up memories, good and bad," said Keflezighi, per the AP. "People were cheering like crazy, saying 'U-S-A!' I was chanting with them."
To circle back to the victors: Jack Fleming, a Boston Athletic Association spokesman, shared his thoughts with reporters about Desisa's win.
"In 2013, Lelisa had won and we were sitting in these same chairs," said Fleming, per the AP. "And then soon after, and unfortunately, Lelisa did not get to have the kind of victory celebration that a champion of the Boston Marathon should have. Lelisa, we want you to get your due today."
Lelisa certainly got his moment to shine and earned it. He carried himself with class during the most unfathomable times in Boston Marathon history, following it up with another top-notch performance to reign supreme over a field filled with world-class distance runners.
Zaccardi alluded to the prior finishes Rotich had in her major marathon starts, which made her ability to win in a tight finish by four seconds on Sunday all the more monumental:
Since Desisa is only 25 years old, he could well have plenty of marathons left in him and may be far from done writing his Boston Marathon legacy. His is already among the best, what with multiple wins and his tremendous spirit and compassion for the race's history.
It took awhile for Rotich to have a breakthrough of this magnitude, but perhaps she can use her Boston Marathon finish as a springboard to continue logging higher finishes at the other World Marathon Majors.
The Boston Marathon is the second leg in the Big Six series, and the 2015 edition's two champions embodied the essence of "Boston Strong" in their own unique ways. As the Boston Marathon continues to recover a sense of normalcy, its allure and sheer power will only strengthen.
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