The 2016 Boston Marathon took place on Monday 18 with a pair of Ethiopians being crowned as champions and survivors of the 2013 bombing running.
The 120th edition of the Marathon was celebrated on Patriot’s Day with the highest of security being held by the FBI after the tragedy occurred in 2013.
With a field size of 30,000 participants, registrations for the marathon started on September 14, 2015. Unlike many other marathons, participants need a qualifying time from any other marathon along with a set date range to qualify to run.
Proving that determination is key
One of this year’s runners was Adrianne Haslet, 35, who had previously attended the event on 2013, where she was observing runners just before a bomb fell near her and wounded her leg.
Haslet was in Boylston Street minutes before the bomb attack that left her with an amputated leg. The ex-professional dancer made a promise to herself and this year she was able to finish the marathon.
“My friends and family will tell you I’m very stubborn. I will too, but it’s important to me to prove that I can for myself, but also inspire others,” said Haslet to CBS news in a statement.
After the attack, Adrianne Haslet had to learn to walk again with a prosthetic leg and facing doctors saying she wasn’t going to dance again.
“I want my life to be defined by how I live it. I say I’m a survivor defined by how I live my life, not a victim defined by what happened in my life,” said Adrianne Haslet.
With full tears and emotions, Haslet was able to finish the race at 7:30 pm marking her personal victory.
Enhanced Security
After the two-bomb attack in 2013 who killed 3 civilians and injured over 264 happened, security and surveillance have been the top priority in the event.
The FBI who evaluated the surveillance from three years ago and was able to catch both of the perpetrators is now in charge of the vigilance of the area and possible attack points.
Source: CBS News