American wins Boston Marathon

The elite runners at the Boston Marathon have finished the race, and for the first time since 1983 an American has won the men’s race.

38-year old Meb Keflizighi, who’s from San Diego, finished the race in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 37 seconds, beating a Kenyan competitor by 11 seconds.

Rita Jeptoo of Kenya successfully defended her Boston Marathon title, setting a new course record along the way. She said she could not enjoy a year ago after the fatal bombings.

Nearly 36,000 people are taking part in this year’s race, including 2400 from Canada.

Despite the heightened security the mood in Boston has been celebratory as the city and competitors try to move beyond last year’s deadly attack.