BOSTON -- Marcel Hug of Switzerland blitzed to the front of the field to win his eighth Boston Marathon wheelchair title, claiming the victory Monday in the 129th edition of the race in 1 hour, 21 minutes, 34 seconds.
Susannah Scaroni of the United States won the women's wheelchair race for the second time, guaranteeing that the "Star-Spangled Banner" would play on Boylston Street in Copley Square on Patriots' Day, the state holiday that commemorates the first shots of the Revolutionary War 250 years ago Saturday.
The 39-year-old Hug crossed the finish line in downtown Boston to claim his fifth consecutive win in the race on the 50th anniversary of the first official wheelchair finisher in Boston. Daniel Romanchuk of the United States was second in 1:25:58, followed by Jetze Plat of the Netherlands in 1:30:16.
"It means a lot to win this year, 50 years of wheelchairs in Boston," Hug said. "For me, it will take some time to realize what it means, eight times wins. It's such an incredible number."
Hug and Romanchuk broke from the field and stayed tight for about six miles. But Hug opened about a three-minute lead at the halfway mark and began to widen his advantage.
Hug's latest victory came on a clear morning with start temperatures in the low 50s. It made for a much less eventful day for Hug, who last year recovered from a crash in the latter part of the race on his way to victory.
