SOME information on Meb Keflezighi who just won the Boston Marathon. which will make your day because it is all about what our country stands for and what people who live in war torn countries, hope for when they come here seeking the American dream. Keflezighi and his family were refugees from Eritrea via Italy to the United States, when he was 12 years old.[2] He began running while a student at Roosevelt Middle School in San Diego, going on to win both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters at the CIF California State Championships in 1994 for San Diego High School.[3][4] The distinction of Keflezighis homegrown American running history differentiated him from other African-born elite athletes, such as Bernard Lagat, whose change of domicile and citizenship had been for largely competitive reasons.[5] Keflezighi became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1998, the same year in which he graduated from UCLA. While at UCLA Keflezighi received numerous All-American awards and other accolades.[2] He won four NCAA championships (outdoor and indoor) during the 1996-97 season, including the cross-country title, the 10,000 m outdoors and the 5000 m indoors and outdoors titles in track.[6] Keflezighi is a three-time national champion in cross country running, having won the USA Cross Country Championships in 2001, 2002 and 2009.[7] In the 2004 Summer Olympics, Keflezighi finished second in the mens marathon, winning a silver medal in a personal seasons best time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 29 seconds. He finished 42 seconds ahead of Brazilian Vanderlei de Lima, who was leading the marathon, but was disrupted when he was pushed off the course by protester Cornelius Horan.[8] This was the first medal won by an American man in the Olympic marathon since Frank Shorter won the gold in the 1972 Summer Olympics and took the silver medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.[2][8]. He won the Boston Marathon today, April, 21 2014. Becoming the first American athlete to win The Boston Marathon since Greg Meyer in 1983. The win came on the first Boston Marathon ran after the terrorist bombings at the 2013 Boston Marathon. His time was 2 hours, 8 minutes and 37 seconds. His fastest times for some standard distances are 3:42.29 for 1500 m, set in 1998; 13:11.77 for 5000 m, set in 2000; 27:13.98 for 10,000 m, set in 2001 (an American record which stood until 2010);[9] and 2:09:08 for the marathon, set in 2012 at the USA Olympic Trials 2012 (Houston) In 2007, Keflezighi suffered from dehydration and the following year, he broke his hip during the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in Central Park. He finished in eighth place and did not qualify for the team. During the race, his friend and training partner Ryan Shay died of a heart attack.[10] He won the 2009 New York City Marathon, setting a personal best of 2:09:15. Keflezighi was the first American to win the marathon since 1983. What a great story about a family who brought ten children here, a few at a time as his father could afford it. They have all accomplished amazing things. Doctors, etc. graduating from college - I believe two or more are still in college. How proud Mebs family must be. He talked about his love for America and he cried and I cried.......
Posted on: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 16:49:28 +0000
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