BOSTON: Ethiopian runner Lelisa Desisa and Kenya’s Caroline Rotich were the top male and female finishers at Monday’s Boston Marathon, two years after the race was struck by a deadly bombing attack.

Desisa, who famously gave his winner’s medal to the city following the 2013 attack, pulled ahead of all rivals to sprint down Boylston Street alone, finishing with a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 17 seconds.

“Strong Boston!” Desisa shouted after he crossed the finish line, in a version of the “Boston Strong” motto that became the city’s rallying cry after the April 15, 2013, attack that killed three and injured 264.

Kenya’s Rotich had a more dramatic finish, besting Ethiopia’s Mare DiBaba in a sprint down Boylston Street, turning in a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 55 seconds.

Security was high near the start line in Hopkinton, along the 26.2 mile (42.16 km) course and around the finish line in Boston, in recognition of the bombing of the 2013 race, one of the most visible attacks on US soil since Sept 11, 2001.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2015

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