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Boston Marathon: five historic moments

Monday's Boston Marathon was one for the record books. Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya ran the fastest marathon ever to win the men's division with a time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 2 seconds. Kenya's Caroline Kilel beat American Desiree Davila by two seconds to win the women's division with a time of 2:22:36. Japanese Masazumi Soejima won the men's wheelchair division in a time of 1:18:50, with nine-time defending champion Ernst Van Dyke finishing third one second behind. Another Japanese, Wakako Tsuchida, won the women's wheelchair division.

Here are five of the most memorable moments from the marathon's 115-year history.

1. The closest finish (2000)

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/File
Elijah Lagat raises his arms after beating Gezahenge Abera of Ethiopia to win in the men's division of the Boston Marathon on April 17, 2000. Lagat won with a time of 2:09:47.

  • By Aaron Couch Contributor

Elijah Lagat of Kenya won by less than a second, edging out Ethiopian Gezahegne Abera for the win in 2000. Both men finished with a time of 2:09:47, making it the closest men’s finish in Boston Marathon history.

Other close wins happened in 1988, when just one second separated the first and second place finishers, as well as in 1978 and 1982, when two seconds separated winner from runner up.The closest women’s race was in 2008, when Dire Tune of Ethiopia beat Alevtina Biktimirova of Russia by 2 seconds.

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