In celebration of Meb Keflezighi’s 10 year anniversary of his 2014 Boston Marathon victory, we will be featuring a Celebration of Meb, highlighting and sharing an aspect of Meb’s life on and off the track and roads leading up to the 2024 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15. We are thankful to both Meb and Hawi (Meb’s brother and agent) for their partnership on this feature.
I got attention for medaling in the Athens Olympics. But winning New York made me a star. I would be known around the world for the rest of my career by just three letters: Meb.
26 Marathons
We previously shared about Meb’s four Olympic Teams, and just as notable is his 2009 New York City Marathon win. In his fifth attempt at the distance in the Big Apple, and seven years after his debut, he came away with the first of his iconic victories.
Going into the race in 2009, Meb had solidified himself as a veteran of the distance who would be in contention each time he entered the race. This would be his 12th marathon, and of those previous eleven, he had earned a place on the podium five times, though yet to stand atop with a victory.
All that would change in New York.
Meb wrote in 26 Marathons that through all the challenges in his career up to that point, “the idea of winning New York fueled my fire.” He continued, “One reason that winning New York was so important to me is that I saw it as a fruit of my father’s dream. For a child of Eritrea to win the world’s largest marathon wearing a USA jersey signified so much. My family and I are proud Americans who cherish our roots. I saw my winning New York as the American dream come true.”
If you look back at the four Olympic teams Meb made between 2000 and 2016, you will notice that the Beijing Olympics in 2008 are not on that list. After an 8th place finish at those Olympic Trials, Meb was out for the Olympic Team. He vowed to make the New York City Marathon his personal Olympics.
Meb’s first marathon victory came on the world’s biggest stage. He got his gold medal, and a dream achieved.
