Home: San Diego, California, USA
Bib: #15
Pronunciation: MEB-rah-ha-tom Kef-lez-GHEE
Birthdate: 5 May 1975
Personal Best: 2:08:37 (Boston, 2014)
Mebrahtom “Meb” Keflezighi
World Marathon Majors:
| 21Aug16 | Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games | 33rd | 2:16:46 |
| 01Nov15 | New York Marathon | 7th | 2:13:32 |
| 20Apr15 | Boston Marathon | 8th | 2:12:42 |
| 02Nov14 | TCS New York City Marathon | 4th | 2:13:18 |
| 21Apr14 | Boston Marathon | 1st | 2:08:37 |
| 03Nov13 | ING New York City Marathon | 23rd | 2:23:47 |
| 12Aug12 | London Olympic Games Marathon | 4th | 2:11:06 |
| 06Nov11 | ING New York City Marathon | 6th | 2:09:13 |
| 07Nov10 | ING New York City Marathon | 6th | 2:11:38 |
| 19Apr10 | Boston Marathon | 5th | 2:09:26 |
| 01Nov09 | ING New York City Marathon | 1st | 2:09:15 |
| 26Apr09 | Flora London Marathon | 9th | 2:09:21 |
| 22Apr07 | Flora London Marathon | DNF | |
| 05Nov06 | ING New York City Marathon | 21st | 2:22:02 |
| 17Apr06 | Boston Marathon | 3rd | 2:09:56 |
| 06Nov05 | ING New York City Marathon | 3rd | 2:09:56 |
| 07Nov04 | ING New York City Marathon | 2nd | 2:09:53 |
| 29Aug04 | Athens Olympic Games Marathon | 2nd | 2:11:29 |
| 12Oct03 | LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon | 7th | 2:10:03 |
Additional Marathons:
| 13Feb16 | Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials | 2nd | 2:12:20 |
| 14Jan12 | Houston U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials | 1st | 2:09:08 |
| 03Nov07 | New York U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials | 8th | 2:15:09 |
| 07Feb04 | Birmingham U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials | 2nd | 2:11:47 |
After participating in his fourth Olympics, American Meb Keflezighi is back to celebrate his last year of marathon racing and his fifth Boston Marathon. In 2014 Keflezighi outran one of the fastest fields ever assembled for the Boston Marathon to become the first U.S. men’s champion since 1983. The only runner from the U.S. to earn an Olympic medal (2004, silver) and win the Boston and New York City Marathons, Keflezighi is highly regarded by his peers and will continue to serve as a John Hancock Elite Athlete Ambassador after his professional marathon career ends. Additional career highlights include winning the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, placing fourth at the 2012 London Olympic Games Marathon and finishing second at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.
He has run Boston three additional times, placing third in 2006, fifth in 2010 and eighth in 2015. As one of the most consistent marathoners in the world, Keflezighi has finished 14 career marathons under 2:12, and is known for running strategically in championship style races.
Keflezighi immigrated to America with his family in 1987 from Eritrea, after living in Italy for two years. He has five brothers and five sisters and is married to Yordanos Asgedom. The couple has three daughters: Sara, Fiyori, and Yohana. Keflezighi started a non-profit called the MEB Foundation, which promotes health, education and fitness for youths. Keflezighi says he likes running because it is a fair sport. “Everyone starts and finishes at the same place. There are no substitutes, no time-outs. You get out of running what you put into it.” He began running at age 12 and competed with two of his brothers at San Diego High School where he won three state titles his senior year. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in communication studies. He was a multiple NCAA champion and has earned many national records and national championships on the track, cross country and roads.
“You come to Boston to be a part of history and to make history. I look forward to joining the elite athletes and all participants in the most prestigious marathon in the world.”