Desiree Linden is First American Woman to Win Boston Marathon in 33 Years

Patriots day 2018 was cold (38 degrees) and rainy and generally miserable weather wise in Boston, so much so that the traditional Red Sox baseball game was rained out. But the Boston Marathon went on in spite of all that, and it turned out to be a good day for American runners, especially on the women’s side, where 34 year old Desiree Linden, a two time Olympian, became the first U.S. woman to win it since 1985 when Lisa Larson Weindenbach won. Americans also placed second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and 10th.

On the men’s side of things, Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi won his first Boston Marathon, but U.S. men had a decent day too. Shadrack Biwot was third, and American men also placed fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth, and 10th. The last American man to win was Meb Keflezighi in 2014. Looking ahead, this is an encouraging sign for U.S. distance running in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.