Meb Keflezighi to end pro marathon career in New York City in 2017
Olympic silver medallist Meb Keflezighi announced on Nov. 6 that his final competitive marathon will be in New York City in 2017.
Olympic silver medallist Meb Keflezighi will run his final competitive marathon in 2017. The New York City Marathon, a race he won in 2009, will be where he ends his “marathon career.”
Keflezighi, the 2014 Boston Marathon winner, is one of the most accomplished American distance runners of his time. The 2017 New York City Marathon will be his 26th attempt at the iconic distance if he runs two marathons next year. “So happy to announce that I’ll conclude my marathon career at the 2017 New York City Marathon,” he wrote on Twitter. The race is scheduled for Nov. 5, 2017.
So HAPPY to announce that I’ll conclude my marathon career at the 2017 @nycmarathon. pic.twitter.com/iUr2JZ3t3a
— meb keflezighi (@runmeb) November 6, 2016
The Eritrean-born runner will be 42 at the time of the 2017 New York City Marathon, one year for each of the race’s 42 kilometres. He did not run in New York City this year, instead serving as a grand marshal for the world’s largest marathon. He competed for the United States at the 2016 Olympics, where he placed 33rd in 2:16:46.
In an ESPN article dated Nov. 2, Keflezighi hinted at possibly running the 2017 Boston Marathon. He has run 24 career marathons to date.
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He began his marathon career at the 2002 New York City Marathon. Keflezighi, who is commonly known simply as “Meb,” attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and graduated in 1998, the same year he became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
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He has placed in the top-three at five World Marathon Majors in his career with his results highlighted below.
World Marathon Majors
2009 New York City Marathon – First
2014 Boston Marathon – First
2004 New York City Marathon – Second
2005 New York City Marathon – Third
2006 Boston Marathon – Third
Keflezighi has a lifetime best of 2:08:37 in the marathon. It’s unclear whether the 41-year-old will continue to do races in a non-competitive capacity following the 2017 New York City Marathon.