Marathon Winner Gives Medal to City of Boston
Marathoners spend countless hours training to compete in races, and for elite runners like Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa, the goal is to come away with the medal for top finisher. But compelled by the tragedy that claimed three lives and injured hundreds of others after he won the 2013 Boston Marathon, Desisa gave that medal he worked to win to the city Sunday. Desisa honored Boston in a ceremony on Boston Common shortly after the completion of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) 10K, the first BAA event since the Boston Marathon Bombings. “We promise next year, in 2014, we will return to Boston to show the world that our commitment to sport, our commitment to our freedom is stronger than any act of violence,” said Desisa Sunday through a letter he wrote translated into English. Desisa added that “sports should never be used as a battleground” and offered his “heartfelt condolences” to those who were gravely impacted by the bombings. Mayor Thomas Menino was on hand to accept the medal from Desisa and thanked him for his generosity. “Thank you for your symbol of gratitude to help us,” he said. Watch the video above for more. South End Patch
Boston Marathon Winner Giving Medal to City
Lelisa Desisa, the Ethiopian runner who won the 2013 Boston Marathon hours before bomb blasts killed three and injured hundreds at the finish line, will be giving his medal to the City of Boston in a ceremony on Boston Common Sunday. According to a statement on the Boston Athletic Association website, Desisa will give the medal to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino at 10 a.m. on the common near Charles Street. Desisa is giving the medal to the city on behalf of all Boston Marathon runners to honor bombing victims and their families. Desisa said the bombings “brought pain to many families and tremendous sorrow into many homes” and that he was giving his medal to the city “as a gesture of my solidarity with the victims of this senseless act of violence,” according to the statement. He announced his intention to give his medal to Boston at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last month. Menino said in the statement that “countless acts of kindness and generosity have lifted our spirits and inspired us” since the bombings, this being one of them. “On behalf of the City of Boston, we thank Lelisa for his thoughtful and moving gesture,” Menino said. Desisa will be participating in the B.A.A. 10K prior to the ceremony. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch