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In Pictures: The Boston Marathon

Runners compete in an emotional race where last year a bombing left three dead and more than 260 people injured.

Large crowds gathered at this year(***)s Boston Marathon, following last year(***)s bombing that killed three people and wounded more than 260.
Published On 27 Apr 2014

At least 35,660 runners competed in the Boston marathon, as officials stepped up security after the deadly bomb attack during last year’s event. 

On Monday, more than 3,500 police and members of 60 different local, state and federal security agencies deployed to protect the race.

One million people were expected to show their support for the event and honour the victims and survivors of the attacks that killed three people and wounded more than 260 last year.

Meb Keflezighi, a US citizen, won the 42km race. He is the first US winner since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach took the women’s title in 1985. The last American man to win was Greg Meyer in 1983. 

Ernst van Dyk of South Africa won the men’s wheelchair division for a record 10th time and Tatyana McFadden of the US won the women’s race for a second straight year.

The Boston Marathon is one of the six biggest foot races in the world and part of the prestigious World Marathon Majors circuit. It is also the world’s oldest annual meet.

Many of the runners participated as a way to memorialise those affected by last year(***)s bombing. 
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Meb Keflezighi, a US citizen, was able to hold off Wilson Chebet of Kenya to win the race in 2:08:37.
Keflezighi, 39, became the first American male since 1983 to win the Boston Marathon.
In the women(***)s division, Rita Jeptoo of Kenya defended her 2013 victory. Her time - 2:18:57 - beat the course record by almost two full minutes and was the eighth-fastest women(***)s marathon ever recorded on any course.
Aleksandra Duliba of Belarus received medical attention after crossing the finish line.
In the men(***)s wheelchair division, Ernst van Dyk won for a record 10th time, finishing at 1:20:36. Van Dyk holds the record for most wins across all categories in the marathon.
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Tatyana McFadden of the US shakes hands with Jun Lyu, the father of Lu Lingzi, a Boston University graduate student from China who was killed in last year(***)s bombings. McFadden won the women(***)s wheelchair division for the second year in a row.
Two Boston Marathon bombing survivors hug after crossing the finish line of the Boston Athletic Association(***)s 5km race.
A Boston Marathon bombing survivor carried a fellow survivor over the marathon finish line during a Tribute Run for survivors and first responders.
Security was noticeably heightened during the race. Helicopters could be seen circling overhead as well as bomb-sniffing dogs checking through trash cans.
In the days before the race, flowers and tributes were left at the storefront where the bombs went off.