1971 Boston Marathon
Footrace in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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The 1971 Boston Marathon took place on Monday, April 19, 1971. It was the 75th time the Boston Marathon was organized and featured 1,067 official entrants,[1] with 887 runners starting the event.[2]
| 1971 Boston Marathon | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Date | April 19, 1971 |
| Competitors | 887 |
| Champions | |
| Men | Álvaro Mejía (2:18:45) |
| Women | Sara Mae Berman (3:08:30) |
The race was won by Álvaro Mejía of Colombia in 2:18:45, finishing five seconds ahead of Pat McMahon of Ireland.[1] The pair ran the final 15 miles (24 km) together, in what was described as "the most dramatic race in the 75-year history" of the event.[1] It also set a mark for the narrowest margin of victory, which had previously been six seconds set during the 1906 edition.[1]
Results
Men
| Position | Athlete | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Álvaro Mejía |  Colombia | 2:18:45 |
| 2 | Pat McMahon |  Ireland | 2:18:50 |
| 3 | John Halberstadt |  South Africa | 2:22:23 |
| 4 | John Vitale |  United States | 2:22:45 |
| 5 | Byron Lowry | United States | 2:23:20 |
| 6 | Arthur Coolidge | United States | 2:23:23 |
| 7 | William Speck | United States | 2:23:54 |
| 8 | Markku Salminen |  Finland | 2:24:02 |
| 9 | Ron Wallingford |  Canada | 2:25:21 |
| 10 | William Clark | United States | 2:26:19 |
Other notable participants included Amby Burfoot (39th) and John J. Kelley (96th).
Women
Women were not officially allowed to enter until 1972, but their first-place results from 1966 through 1971 were later ratified by the Boston Athletic Association.[5] Sara Mae Berman, originally from The Bronx in New York City, finished first among women runners, credited with a time of 3:08:30.[6] Berman is also recognized as the 1969 and 1970 women's champion.[6]