Keflezighi Completes Career at NYC Marathon
November 05, 2017 | Cross Country, Track & Field
Distance legend and UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame member Meb Keflezighi completed his 26th and final marathon on Sunday, finishing 11th in the TCS New York City Marathon in a time of 2:15:29.
Keflezighi led at mile seven and stayed in the lead pack until mile 20.
"It was a beautiful victory lap, you could say, to be up at the front and mix it up with all the great runners that New York runners provide here and set the stage for us," Keflezighi said.
And just like that @runmeb's storied career comes to a close. Here he is soaking in his finish with the crowd on their feet. #TCSNYCMarathon pic.twitter.com/WVEVlROb0R
โ TCS NYC Marathon (@nycmarathon) November 5, 2017
The 42-year old Keflezighi has enjoyed a most distinguished career, becoming the only person ever to win the New York City Marathon (2009), the Boston Marathon (2014) and an Olympic medal (silver in 2004). He competed in four Olympic Games, beginning in 2000 as a 10,000m runner (12th place) and in 2004 (second place), 2012 (fourth place) and 2016 (33rd place) in the marathon. At UCLA, he won four NCAA individual titles in 1997, capturing the 5,000m indoor, 5,000m outdoor and 10,000m outdoor track and field titles and the cross country title. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010 and was followed by his longtime coach Bob Larsen this year.
Keflezighi's indelible moment came in 2014 when he became the first American man to win the Boston Marathon in 31 years, just one year after a terrorism attack occured at the finish lne. Keflezighi raced with the names of four victims on his bib.
Now officially retired from competitive running, Keflezighi intends to spend more time with his family and to do more work with his foundation, the MEB Foundation.