CEO IS SPEAKING. WE DON’T NEED THE LIGHT. UM, IT WAS FOR ALL OF US. I KNOW. UH, AN AMAZING AND INSPIRATIONAL DAY. UM, MANY OF YOU WERE AT THE START ON THE COURSE. SO MANY OF YOU CAME BACK AND SAW THE FINISH. AND I KNOW THAT’S A SHARED FEELING THAT, UH, YOU WE ALL HAD, UM, FIRST COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO OFFER OUR BOARD. BAY BOARD IS A BEHIND THE SCENES GROUP OF 11 INDIVIDUALS THAT PROVIDE SO MUCH SUPPORT TO OUR STAFF. UM, GUIDE US. UH, JUST ARE THERE WHEN WE NEED THEM AND WE COUNT ON THEM. WE RELY ON THEM. WE WE WE WE ASK THEM, UM, AND SO THANK YOU TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE, ARE THERE ANY HERE TODAY? I SEE A FEW UP HERE. THANK YOU. THE LIGHTS ARE A LITTLE BRIGHT, SO I APOLOGIZE. I IT’S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SEE. UM, AND TO OUR STAFF, THE STAFF IS IS INCREDIBLE. WE’RE A 40 ISH PERSON ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION. OF COURSE, WE HAVE A 105 PERSON RACE COMMITTEE. UH, WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS IN A MINUTE, BUT OUR STAFF AND THAT STRUCTURE AND THE WORK THAT THAT YOU ALL DO, AND HAVE DONE OVER THE PAST 365 DAYS AND AND HOW THAT BUILT ON THE PRIOR 365 DAYS AND HOW THAT BUILT ON THE DECADE BEFORE THAT. I AM SO APPRECIATIVE TO OUR BAR STAFF. AND IF EVEN THE MEDIA MEMBERS COULD JOIN ME IN THANKING THE BAR STAFF, AND IF YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HAND. COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT THE RACE COMMITTEE. OLD SCHOOL RACE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, COMING TOGETHER EVERY DIFFERENT AREA OF THE ORGANIZATION. PEOPLE KNOW THEIR STUFF. UM, I WAS JUST DOWNSTAIRS WITH A WITH A COUPLE OF THEM AND AND JUST JUST LOVE WHAT THEY DO. THERE’S SUCH A PASSION FOR THE WORK. UM, LOOK FORWARD TO THE WRAP UP. LOOK FORWARD TO, DARE I SAY, THE GRIND. UM, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AND IT PLAYS ITSELF OUT, IT’S SO FULFILLING. FOR THEM AS WELL. SO THANKS TO THE RACE COMMITTEE. BUT MOST OF ALL, NOT ONLY THANK YOU TO THE PARTICIPANTS, BUT CONGRATS STATIONS TO THE RUNNERS, TO THE PARTICIPANTS. AND WE SAY THE PARTICIPANTS NOW BECAUSE IT’S NOT JUST RUNNERS. WE HAVE WHEELCHAIR DIVISION PARTICIPANTS. WE HAVE ATHLETES WHO AMBULATE DIFFERENTLY. THEIR MODE MAY BE A BIT DIFFERENT. AND THIS YEAR WE HAD SO MANY MORE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PARA DIVISIONS AND THE ADAPTIVE ADAPTIVE PROGRAMS, THAT WAS A HUGE HIGHLIGHT. I KNOW FOR EVERYONE TO SEE OUT THERE YESTERDAY. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINISHERS. ARE THERE ANY FINISHERS IN UH, AMONG US TODAY? I’M GLAD THAT THERE ARE THAT. I’M GLAD THAT THERE ARE SOME BUT ONE. UH, I KNOW. IS RIGHT HERE ON THE MY MY RIGHT. UM, IT’S DAVE MCGILVERY WHO KEPT HIS STREAK ALIVE AND WAS ABLE TO PERFORM HIS WORK WHILE ALSO RUNNING AGAIN IN THE FIELD. AND IT WAS A JOYOUS TO SEE YOU CROSS THE FINISH LINE YESTERDAY WITH YOUR FAMILY THERE AS WELL. DAVE. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A HUGE CONTINUED PART OF THE BOSTON MARATHON. AND THE STREAK WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, THRILLING RACES PLAYED OUT ACROSS ALL OF THE DIVISIONS, INCLUDING THE FOUR CHAMPIONS THAT WE’LL HEAR FROM A LITTLE, UH, IN JUST A MINUTE. WE HAVE TWO NEW CHAMPIONS. AND WE HAVE TWO, UH, CHAMPIONS WHO REPEATED IN MARCEL AND HELEN, AND THEN CICI AND EATON. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE CHAMPIONS FAMILY. I’M EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR REFLECTIONS ON, UH, THE DAY AFTER. WE’LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND. UM, THE THE VIBE, THE VITALITY. CERTAINLY THE WEATHER HAS HAD HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FEELING. SOMETIMES IT CREATES THE ATMOSPHERE AROUND IT BUT 25,000, UH, ADDITIONAL FINISHERS ADDED TO OUR RECORD BOOKS. PART OF THAT, THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FEELS OF HAVING DONE THE BOSTON MARATHON. I THINK THAT THERE’S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR, YOU KNOW, EARNING THAT UNIT CORN MEDALLION. WE TALK ABOUT IT IN THE IN THE OFFICE A LOT. HOW YOU KNOW, WE ARE INSPIRED AS A AS A STAFF, AS AN ORGANIZATION TO HELP PEOPLE IN THEIR JOURNEY. TAKE THE FIRST STEP, GET STARTED. THAT’S REALLY OUR MISSION. AND WHETHER IT BE A A COMMUNITY EVENT, A NEIGHBORHOOD FITNESS EVENT OR FIVE K 10-K HALF MARATHON, IT’S NOT JUST THE MARATHON, OF COURSE. THE MARATHON IS WHERE YOU SEE IT. BIGGEST AND BOLDEST LOOK ON THE UNICORN HERE ON THE, UH, CEILING HERE. UM, BUT TO BE ABLE TO EARN THEIR UNICORN AND TREASURE IT IN THAT WAY, UM, THAT IS SORT OF OUR NORTH STAR, OUR, OUR OUR GUIDE. SO IT WAS IT WAS A HARD DAY BEING AT THE FINISH LINE FOR A LITTLE WHILE YESTERDAY. I COULD HEAR PEOPLE COMING UP TO ME AND SAY, WOW, THAT WAS HARD. THIS WAS A DIFFICULT ONE. UM, IT WAS, BUT NEARLY 10,000 VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT US ALL ALONG, SUPPORTED US AND THEM ALL ALONG THE WAY, INCLUDING IN 1900 FROM AMONG OUR MEDICAL TEAM. UM, THOSE VOLUNTEERS TRULY ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF THIS SIGNATURE EVENT FOR BOSTON. UM, I THINK THE VOLUNTEERS ARE. I THINK THE VOLUNTEERS. DIFFERENTIATE BOSTON FROM SO MANY OTHER EVENTS EVERY EVENT NEEDS VOLUNTEERS, BUT BUT HAVING GONE AROUND TO A FEW OTHER EVENTS, OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL AND I ALSO HEAR THAT FROM THE PARTICIPANTS. IT’S OUR VOLUNTEERS THAT DIFFERENTIATE BOSTON FROM OTHERS. SO THANK YOU TO THE VOLUNTEERS. I KNOW SOME ARE HERE TODAY. I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THE SPECTATORS WERE UNBELIEVABLE AS WELL. UH, YES, OF COURSE. DURING THE PRIME TIME OF THE RACE. BUT EVEN IN BETWEEN THE I’M GUESSING IT WAS BETWEEN THE FIVE AND THE 6:00 HOUR YESTERDAY, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT AFTER THAT. THE, THE WAY SPECTATORS WERE, UH, SUPPORTING THE FINAL FINISHERS ON BOYLSTON STREET. UM, I, I’M NOT SURE THAT I’VE SEEN THAT QUITE LIKE THEY WERE LAST NIGHT. YESTERDAY EVENING BETWEEN 530, 630. AND RUNNERS WERE STILL TRICKLING IN OR COMING IN WITH, WITH BIG GAPS. YOU KNOW, THE FINAL FINISHERS, UH, BUT THE SPECTATORS DOWN BOYLSTON STREET WERE STILL ALL THREE AND FOUR PEOPLE DEEP. IT WAS AMAZING. UM. GETTING BACK TO THE MEDICAL SIDE OF THINGS ARE ARE MEDICAL COORDINATOR. I DON’T KNOW WHY HE’S CALLED A COORDINATOR. HE’S BEEN WITH US FOR LIKE 48 YEARS, AND HE STILL CALLED A COORDINATOR. SO WE SHOULD HAVE ADJUSTED THAT. BUT TOO LATE NOW. UM, CHRIS TROYANOS, WHERE IS CHRIS TROYANOS? THERE. HE IS. HE’S HE’S IN THE ROOM HERE WITH HIS 1996 BOSTON MARATHON, UM, JACKET ON AND, AND, UH, HE INFORMED US, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO THAT IT MADE SENSE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HANDING OFF THE BATON ON, UM, PASSING IT. HE’S STILL GOING TO BE AROUND, UM, TO SUPPORT. BUT CHRIS JUST YESTERDAY HELPED WITH HELPED LEAD AND LED OUR FOUR MEDICAL DIRECTORS AND THOSE 1900 VOLUNTEERS. AND THAT AMAZING MEDICAL STAFF NET THAT WENT FROM START TO FINISH. AND THAT DOESN’T JUST COME TOGETHER ON RACE WEEKEND OR RACE MONTH. THAT IS A ALL YEAR ROUND JOB. JOB TO PUT TOGETHER THAT MEDICAL PROGRAM. AND WHILE NOW WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH AND WHEN THINGS START TO GO AWRY OR SIDEWAYS, HOWEVER, THE EXPRESSION IS THE CHRIS TROYANOS IS THE COOLEST CUCUMBER THAT YOU WOULD EVER. UH, I’VE EVER HAD HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING AROUND. AND THERE ARE OTHERS, BUT IN THE MEDICAL ARENA. FOR CHRIS, WE SO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND MEANT FOR THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. THE BOSTON MARATHON, AND ALL OF OUR EVENTS. SO THANK YOU FOR LEADING A TOUGH DAY YESTERDAY. CHRIS. THAT’S VERY NICE. VERY NICE. THAT’S WARM. I LOVE THAT. THAT’S VERY, VERY WARM. I THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR RECOGNIZING CHRIS IN THAT WAY. I, I AM GLAD YOU ALL FEEL IT TOO. UM, BUT YESTERDAY WE DID. HAVE 2954 MEDICAL ENCOUNTERS WITH PARTICIPANTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE EVENT. SO THAT’S NOT JUST AT THE AT THE FINISH LINE. 3/10 WE HAVE SET UP IN THE FINISH. THAT’S ACROSS THE ENTIRE, UM, WE HAD. 132 ATHLETES WHO WERE TAKEN TO LOCAL HOSPITALS. AND 38 ARE STILL HOSPITALIZED AS OF AROUND 9:00 THIS MORNING. WHEN WE CHECKED. UM, NONE APPEARED TO BE NONE THAT WE KNOW OF ARE IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THIS IS WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE. FOR A DAY LIKE WE HAD YESTERDAY, WHICH WAS WARMEST. I WAS. I THINK I WAS SPEAKING TO JOHN A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. UM, THOSE OF US WHO RESIDE IN NEW ENGLAND, IT WAS MORE WE’RE NOT ACCLIMATED. AND SO THAT’S WHY MOST LIKELY, CHRIS, IF YOU WOULD AGREE, WE CAN SPEAK TO CHRIS AND STEPHANIE AFTERWARDS. UM, INDIVIDUALLY, IF MEDIA MEMBERS WOULD LIKE. MOST LIKELY THE REASON. UM, BUT YEAH, THE TEMPERATURES DID CLIMB INTO THE, UH, HIGH 60S AND, AND, UH, THERE WERE 30 MEDICAL STATIONS ALONG THE COURSE THAT SAW OUR, OUR PARTICIPANTS ALONG THE DAY. SO RECOGNIZED SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS. BUT ONE GROUP, I ALSO WANTED TO, TO, UM, TALK ABOUT VERY BRIEFLY IS OUR NEW PRESENTING PARTNER, BANK OF AMERICA, AND THE WAY THAT BANK OF AMERICA CAME IN TO BOSTON IN IN ITS FIRST YEAR WITH US AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND JUST ADDED FUEL TO OUR MACHINE. IT’S COMPLEX. IT’S A COMPLEX. TAX EVENT TO ORGANIZE. IT’S NOT JUST A DAY. THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY EVENTS TO IT WHICH ULTIMATELY ARE INTENDED TO ADD TO THE EXPERIENCE, PROVIDE THE EXPERIENCE AND MAKE THE EXPERIENCE AS EXCEPTIONAL, AS EXCEPTIONAL AND AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. AND THE BANK OF AMERICA TEAM HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. UM, I WANT TO SHOW A SHORT VIDEO FIRST AND FOREMOST BEFORE TURNING THEM MICROPHONE OVER. UM, BUT THIS VIDEO THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE RIGHT NOW, UH, IS A RECAP OF THE 128TH BOSTON MARATHON PRESENTED BY BANK OF AMERICA GRAND MARSHAL ROBBIE G. HERE IN THE HOUSE, READY TO KICK OFF THE BOSTON MARATHON HERE AT THE STARTING LINE. YOU GUYS READY TO GO? SEE YOU GUYS AT THE FINISH LINE. IT’S UNBELIEVABLE. THAT’S AWESOME. THAT IS AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT VIDEO TOGETHER. THAT IS AWESOME I AM UM THAT’S THAT’S, UH, THAT’S AN EMOTIONAL VIDEO. UH, MICHELLE BARLOW, HEAD OF ENTERPRISE MARKETING AT BANK OF AMERICA. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR WHAT YOUR TEAM DOES. THE EXTENDED TEAM, UH, PLEASE JOIN THE STAGE. THANK YOU. AND GOOD MORNING. I HAVE TO AGREE WITH JACK. IT’S ALWAYS REALLY HARD TO FOLLOW A VIDEO, BUT THAT ONE WAS, UH, VERY EMOTIONAL. UM, SO THANK YOU, JACK. THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM. YOUR AMAZING TEAM. YOU TALKED ABOUT A YEAR OF PREPARATION, AND IT WAS JUST ABOUT A YEAR, UM, AFTER LAST YEAR’S RACE THAT WE AGREED TO BECOME THE PRESENTING SPONSOR. WE COULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE PROUD. AND AS JACK SAID, WE DID HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. AND I CAN’T IMAGINE A BETTER TEAM TO HAVE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH THAN JACK’S TEAM. THE AMAZING TEAM AT THE BAR, THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS. THANK YOU TO TO EVERYONE. AND I HAVE TO SAY A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE EXTENDED TEAM AT BANK OF AMERICA. THEY HAVE JUST BEEN TERRIFIC AND I COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT ANY OF YOU. AND I THINK THAT VIDEO JUST REALLY ENCAPSULATED IT. BUT WHAT A RACE, WHAT A DAY. I PERSONALLY, UM, I’VE BEEN A BOSTONIAN. MY WHOLE LIFE. I’M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE MARATHON, BUT OBVIOUSLY IN THE ROLE THAT WE HAVE AT THE BANK NOW, IT JUST TAKES ON SO MUCH MORE MEANING AND AND I COULDN’T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE OUR VERY FIRST YEAR AS PRESENTING SPONSOR THAN WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. IT WAS JUST, IN A WORD, AMAZING. UM, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHAMPIONS, TO EDEN, AND TO HELEN, MARCEL AND SUSIE. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE MEDAL TO MARCEL. AND THAT WILL BE AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT FOR ME, FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. I’M SO HONORED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY AND TO CELEBRATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS. YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK. AND AND AS I SAID, I LIVE HERE, BUT, UM, BEING IN THE CITY FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND, IT WAS JUST SUCH A CELEBRATION. IT WAS A CELEBRATION OF THE SPIRIT OF OF THIS COMMUNITY, OF THIS RACE AND OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THE BOSTON MARATHON JUST WHAT IT IS. AND THAT IS JUST UNIQUE AND AND AMAZING. UM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE HOST CITIES AND TOWNS ALONG THE ROUTE, UM, ESPECIALLY TO THE STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, POLICE SAFETY. JACK JUST TALKED ABOUT THE AMAZING MEDICAL TEAM AND FOR EVERYBODY THAT ACTUALLY HELPS TO MAKE THE RACE SO SAFE AND SO SUCCESSFUL FOR FOR THE ATHLETES, THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE VOLUNTEERS. UM, A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO TO THE 30,000 ATHLETES WE HAD OVER 250 BANK OF AMERICA TEAMMATES WHO ALSO RAN. UM, YOU’RE JUST SUCH AN INSPIRATION. UH, YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR HARD WORK, THE DEDICATION, THE HOURS THAT YOU PUT IN. AND AS A LIFELONG SPECTATOR, UM, I’M ALWAYS JUST IN AWE WHETHER I’M AT THE START LINE OR THE FINISH LINE. LINE. ESPECIALLY ON A DAY LIKE YESTERDAY. AS JACK POINTED OUT. UM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AS JACK DID TO THE TO THE NEARLY. 10,000 VOLUNTEERS WE. AGAIN HAD ABOUT 200 BANK OF AMERICA VOLUNTEERS ALONG THE ROUTE. UM, IT’S SUCH AN AMAZING EVENT. AND YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE SEND OUT THE NOTICE TO ASK VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN AND WITHIN MINUTES, RIGHT, WE WE HAD OUR, OUR FULL, UM, AND AND A LONG LIST OF FOLKS WHO SAID IF I DIDN’T GET IN THIS YEAR, CAN I PLEASE GET IN NEXT YEAR? AND I JUST THINK THAT’S SUCH A TESTAMENT TO THE RACE. THE SPECTATORS, THE ENERGY WAS JUST AMAZING FROM THE START LINE TO THE FINISH LINE, YOU KNOW, JACK TALKED ABOUT IT. UM, JUST INSPIRING THE RUNNERS ALL THE WAY THROUGHOUT THE MARATHON JUST MAKES IT SUCH A SPECIAL EVENT. ALWAYS. SO AS JACK SAID, WE WERE THERE KIND OF LATE AT THE FINISH AS WELL, AND JUST SEEING THE SPECTATORS THAT THAT STICK AROUND TO HELP THOSE LAST GROUP OF RUNNERS COME IN, IT’S JUST AMAZING. UM, I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE NEARLY 160 CHARITIES THAT WERE PART OF THE BANK OF AMERICA OFFICIAL CHARITY PROGRAM, UM, AND THE NEARLY 3000 RUNNERS THAT RAN ON BEHALF. OF CHARITIES. UM, YOU KNOW, JUST THOUSANDS OF RUNNERS. UM, IF YOU SAW SOME OF WHAT WHAT THE BANK SHARED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE REALLY PUT A FOCUS ON THOSE CHARITY RUNNERS. BUT IMPORTANTLY, THE CHARITIES THAT THAT THEY WERE ALL RUNNING FOR WERE, UM, RUNNING TO END CANCER OR TO HELP AN ORGANIZATION LIKE SPECIAL OLYMPICS TO, TO, YOU KNOW, TO REMEMBER A LOVED ONE. JUST SO MANY INSPIRING STORIES AND WE WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON ALL OF THEM. AND THE AMAZING AND THE AMAZING WORK THAT THEY DO. UM, MEB MEB WAS JUST A GREAT PARTNER TO THE BANK. UH, IN ALL OF THE WORK LEADING UP TO THIS WEEKEND, AND I WANTED TO SHARE, UM, A COMMENT THAT HE MADE. HE, HE HIMSELF IS SUCH AN INSPIRATION, BUT HE TALKED ABOUT THIS RACE BEING A CELEBRATION OF LIFE. UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING HE TALKED ABOUT. AND HE’S JUST SO RIGHT. UM, IT’S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ATHLETES, THE VOLUNTEERS, EVERYONE THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN. BUT IT’S ALSO JUST ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SELFLESS RUNNER THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SECONDS FROM THE FINISH LINE AND THEY SEE A TEAMMATE WHO HAS FALLEN DOWN PICKING THAT RUNNER UP AND HELPING THEM OVER THE FINISH LINE, OR, YOU KNOW, THE RUNNER THAT HAS RUN HIS 70TH MARATHON WITH A DUO RUNNER AND DOING IT FOR, UM, A SPECIAL ORGANIZATION OR THE MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS WHO ARE RUNNING TOGETHER. WE WERE SHARING A STORY THIS MORNING OF A MILITARY MEMBER RUNNING IN FULL GEAR, CROSSING THE FINISH LINE, AND THEN DOING A LOT OF PUSH UPS. JUST JUST SO INSPIRATIONAL. SO ON BEHALF OF OF BANK OF AMERICA, ALL OF MY TEAMMATES BEHIND ME, I JUST WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU. AND WE’LL SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR. THANKS SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING. THERE WERE 25,616 FINISHERS YESTERDAY, AND THERE WERE FOUR AT THE FRONT OF THE FIELD. AND WE’LL INTRODUCE THE FOUR CHAMPIONS NOW WE TALK ABOUT HOW OUR THEME WAS HISTORY IN THE MAKING. THIS YEAR. AND EATON RAY BREWER COOPER DID JUST THAT. AND IN WINNING THE WHEELCHAIR DIVISION IN ONE 3511, EATON BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO BE DECLARED BOSTON MARATHON CHAMPION. SHE ALSO WENT TWO FOR TWO THIS WEEKEND, WINNING THE BOSTON FIVE K PRESENTED BY POINT 32 HEALTH AND THE BOSTON MARATHON, PRESENTED BY BANK OF AMERICA. EATON RAINBOW COOPER. HELLEN OBIRI OF KENYA EARNED HER SECOND VICTORY IN AS MANY YEARS, REPEATING IN A TIME OF TWO 2237. ONLY SIX WOMEN IN BOSTON MARATHON HISTORY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SUCCESSFULLY RETAINED THEIR TITLES BACK TO BACK, AND HELEN DID JUST THAT. HELLEN OBIRI. FROM ETHIOPIA. CICI LEMA RAN ONE OF THE FASTEST FIRST HALF IN BOSTON MARATHON HISTORY, SPLITTING ONE HOUR 19 MINUTES THROUGH HALFWAY. HE’D HOLD ON OVER THE SECOND HALF AND ULTIMATELY WIN IN. 206 17. SUSIE LEMA. AND FINALLY, NOW A SEVEN TIME BOSTON MARATHON CHAMPION. THE SWISS SILVER BULLET MARCEL HUG. HE ATTACKED THE COURSE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND DESPITE CRASHING IN NEWTON, STILL SET A COURSE RECORD AND. MARCEL’S MARGIN OF VICTORY WAS FIVE MINUTES AND FOUR SECONDS, AND HIS ONE. 1533 COURSE RECORD COMES OUT TO A STAGGERING TWO MINUTES AND 58 SECONDS PER MILE FOR THE ENTIRE 26.2 MILE COURSE. SO MARCEL HUG. SO I’D LIKE TO ASK EACH OF THE CHAMPIONS HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE BOSTON MARATHON CHAMPION THIS YEAR, AND HAS IT SET IN YET? WE’LL START WITH YOU EATON. UM, IT FEELS INCREDIBLE. I REALLY WASN’T EXPECTING IT. SO IT’S STILL ALL SINKING IN. AND I THINK IT’S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE WHILE YET, BUT YEAH, IT JUST FEELS ABSOLUTELY INSANE TO KNOW THAT I’M COMING AWAY WITH A WIN FROM BOSTON. FOR ME, I FEEL SO INSPIRED TO BECOME DEFENDING CHAMPION IN BOSTON AND I WAS WAITING FOR THAT MOMENT TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE. I FEEL SO HONORED. MY FAMILY WAS THERE WATCHING, SO IT WAS INCREDIBLE MOMENT FOR ME. AND ALL OF YOU, UH, HELLO? ALL OF YOU. THERE IS, UH, JUST, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. UH, FOR BOSTON. ME? I’M HAPPY TO WIN. YESTERDAY. AND, UH, JUST, UH, MOST OF MARATHON COURSE IS VERY CHALLENGING TO ME. UH, YESTERDAY, UH, BUT, UH, I WON, AND I’M HAPPY FEELING. UM. YEAH. ALTHOUGH I WON ALREADY SEVEN TIMES. UH, IT ALWAYS, IT ALWAYS IS INCREDIBLE TO TO WIN. UH, I’M DEFINITELY REALLY HAPPY WITH, UH, YESTERDAY’S RACE. UH, VERY SATISFIED. UM, YEAH. WITH THIS PERFECT CONDITIONS, I HAVE A VERY FAST TIME. AND AS ALWAYS, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE. AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK JACK AND MARY KATE AND THE WHOLE TEAM FOR THEIR GREAT WORK AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, THE SPONSORS FOR GIVING US THIS GREAT EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW, EATON, AS I MENTIONED, YOU HAD A VERY BUSY WEEKEND. UH, AFTER THE RACE ON SATURDAY, YOU SAID, UH, I’LL NEED A LOT OF LUCK TO WIN THE BOSTON MARATHON. AND AND YOU DID JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, RIGHT, TO PULL IT OFF. HOW DID YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN? I JUST I KNEW I HAD TO ATTACK THAT FIRST HILL HARD. UM, AND FOR ME, THAT FIRST HILL WAS JUST ALL ABOUT BEING BRAVE. YOU GO REALLY, REALLY FAST DOWN IT, SO YOU JUST KIND OF HAVE TO BE CONFIDENT THAT EVERYTHING’S FINE AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING. AND THEN FROM THERE, IT WAS IT WAS JUST PUSH AS HARD AS I CAN. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN WHEN THAT PURSUIT PACK IS COMING UP BEHIND YOU. UM, SO IT WAS JUST IN MY HEAD. I WAS SAYING, STAY CALM AND KEEP GOING. JUST DON’T DROP PACE AND AND GIVE IT YOUR ALL. REALLY. HELEN? ANOTHER BOSTON MARATHON TITLE AND ANOTHER SPRINT FINISH IN THE LAST MILE. YOU LIKE THOSE DRAMATIC RACES? UM, WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO CROSS THE FINISH FIRST? AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU IN YOUR KICK OVER THAT LAST, UH, KILOMETER OR THE LAST MILE? OKAY, I, I’VE BEEN TRAINING. WELL, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TRAIN WELL, YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. IF YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN TRAINING FOR. SO WE HAD A RESTAURANT WITH MY COACHES, AND WE DECIDED, LIKE, WE TRY TO GO AFTER 35 K BECAUSE I KNEW THE LADIES WERE SO STRONG AND I TRIED TO GIVE EVERYTHING. BUT THE RELEASE WAS ALSO THERE WITH ME. SO UP TO 40 K, SO I KNEW I’M GONNA HAVE THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS STILL SPEED IN MY LEGS AND I USED TO DO VERY WELL. 800M. SO I KNEW FROM THERE I’M GONNA TAKE THE TITLE AGAIN. YEAH. THANK YOU. HELEN. CICI, YOU WENT OUT INCREDIBLY FAST, AS I MENTIONED, JUST JUST OVER A TICK OVER, UH, ONE HOUR. WERE YOU AT ALL SCARED THAT YOU WENT OUT TOO FAST, THAT ANYBODY WOULD CATCH YOU IN THAT SECOND HALF, THAT YOU ALMOST MADE TOO MUCH? AND I MAGALLOWAY. UH. UH, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS, UH, SORRY YESTERDAY. JUST, UH, I STARTING, UH, BY FULL CONFIDENCE TO STARTING, UH, BECAUSE I, I PREPARED MY PREPARATION IS VERY GOOD. UH, BEFORE, AFTER, UH, VALENCIA. SO, UH, I DO TO QUARTER RECORD TO BREAK. UH, THIS IS MY WISH ON BOSTON, BUT, UH, UH, ACWORTH IS VERY CHALLENGING. ME AFTER A HALF AFTER 30 K UH, JUST MY CONFIDENCE IS TODAY TO ARRIVE ME THERE IS NO I NOT I NOT THIS I NOT REMEMBER ABOUT THAT JUST I INDIFFERENT TO RUN OR TO UH IN FRONT SEVEN KILOMETER TO REMIND AND TO FINISH. I AM VERY TIRED I THAT IS, UH, THE REALITY. THAT’S WHAT. WELL, YOU MADE IT HAPPEN. CONGRATULATIONS. AND MARCEL, AS YOU SAID, IT’S AN ANNUAL OCCURRENCE THAT YOU’RE UP HERE. IT’S PART OF THIS, UH, CHAMPIONS PRESS CONFERENCE. UM, HOW DID YOU MAINTAIN YOUR COMPOSURE AFTER THE CRASH IN NEWTON? AND AND, UH, REGAIN YOUR SPEED TO STILL ECLIPSE THE COURSE RECORD? YEAH. FOR ME, UH, IT WAS DEFINITELY A DIFFICULT SITUATION, BUT, UH, ON THIS MOMENT, UH, YEAH, I WAS JUST TRYING TO TO GET UP, UH, BACK ON THE RACE. UM, YEAH. LUCKILY, UH, THE WHEELCHAIR WAS OKAY. NOTHING BROKEN. SO I COULD, UH, MOVE FORWARD. UM, YEAH. BUT NOW WHEN I SEE THE THE VIDEO, UM, HONESTLY, I THINK I CAN REALLY BE GRATEFUL THAT NOTHING HAPPENED. WORSE. AND I WAS ABLE TO TO TO FINISH THE RACE, EVEN WITH THE, WITH THE COURSE RECORD AND, UH, YEAH, NOW I STILL HAVE SOME PAIN IN MY SHOULDERS AND MY CHEST, BUT I’M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. IT WILL BE, UH, GOOD AGAIN IN THE FEW DAYS WHEN WE HAVE THE LONDON MARATHON ON SUNDAY. SO. SO YEAH, I’M VERY HAPPY THAT NOTHING HAPPENED. WORSE. YEAH. I THINK ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY HERE, WE WISH YOU AND EATON THE BEST OF LUCK AT THE LONDON MARATHON ON SUNDAY. UH, THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UH, Q&A UP HERE. WE’LL DO A FEW QUICK PHOTO OPS, AND THEN WE’LL BREAK DOWN INTO ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS FOR ALL OUR MEDIA HERE. SO ONCE AGAIN, THE 128TH BOSTON MARATHON PRESENTED BY BANK OF AMERICA CHAMPIONS. AND WE CAN ALL APPLAUD. THERE YOU HAVE IT. TWO REPEAT WINNERS TO NEW BOSTON MARATHON CHAMPIONS FOR CHAMPIONS OUT OF 25,616 FINISHERS, IT IS JUST INCREDIBLE TO HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT THEIR JOURNEYS ALONG THE 26.2, AND WE DO WANT TO GIVE A FINAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR WMUR CHAMPIONS. WE ARE SO PROUD OF SEAN MCDONALD MARISSA TANSINO AND ANDREW ANDREW VREES, WHO FINISHED THE RACE YESTERDAY. YOU WILL FIND SO MUCH MORE