Looking Back at Meb Keflezighi's Celebrated Marathoning Career Ahead of his Final Race
Four-time U.S. Olympian MebKeflezighi will race his 26th and final competitive marathon in Sunday’s TCS New York City Marathon. He’s the only runner in history to win an Olympic medal and nab victories in the New York City and Boston Marathons. He made his marathon debut in 2002 and shortly after crossing the finish line, he vowed that it would be his last. Now 15 years later, he wraps up a career as one of the most accomplished American distance runners in history.
Here’s a look at Meb Keflezighi’s storied marathoning career, by the numbers.
Height: 5’5”
Age: 42
Career marathons: 25 (New York will be No. 26)
Fastest marathon: 2:08:47, 2014 Boston Marathon
Slowest marathon: 2:23:47, 2013 New York City marathon
Sub-2:10 marathons: 9
First career marathon: 2:12:35 at the 2002 New York City Marathon
World Marathon Majors won: 2 (New York City 2009, Boston 2014)
Olympic medals won: 1, silver in the 2004 marathon in Athens
Olympics: 4, (Finalist: Sydney 2000 10000m, 12th; Athens 2004 marathon silver medalist; London 2012 marathon, 4th; Rio 2016 marathon, 33rd)
Days between runner-up finishes at the Olympics and New York City Marathon: 70 days
Years without a U.S. Olympic medal before Keflezighi: 28, Frank Shorter won a silver in 1976 – just four years after his gold in 1972.
Years without a U.S. winner in NYC before Keflezighi: 27, Alberto Salazar won the New York City Marathon in 1980, 1981 and 1982.
Top 10 finishes in the New York City Marathon: 8 of 10
Top American finishes in the New York City Marathon: 7 of 10.
Meb Keflezighi’s age on the day of his final race: 42 years, 184 days old
Place on the all-time U.S. marathoners list: No. 4 (Only Ryan Hall, Khalid Khannouchi and Dathan Ritzenhein are faster.)
Number of times Keflezighi finished the year as America’s fastest marathoner: 4 (2003, 2005, 2009, 2014)
Masters records set: 6 – 15k (44:23); 20k (59:43); Half marathon (63:02); 30K (1:34:03); Marathon (2:12:20)
