As she crossed the finish line, Desiree "Desi" Linden of Charlevoix, Michigan became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in more than three decades.
Linden, 34, ran the more than 26 miles in the historic race Monday – through icy winds and rain – finishing with an unofficial time of 2 hours, 39 minutes and 53 seconds. She is the first American woman to win the race since 1985.
Before she won the marathon, Linden garnered praise online for appearing to slow down to wait for fellow American Shalane Flanagan as she pulled off the course for a pit stop.
More about Linden:
She is a two-time Olympian, finishing in 7th place in the 2016 Games.
She did not finish in the 2012 Olympics because of a stress fracture that caused her to drop out, according to Sports Illustrated.
She won silver medals in the 2010 Chicago Marathon and 2011 Boston Marathon.
Ahead of her Boston Marathon win, Linden touted her “experience,” saying she thought she’s “run the most marathons” compared to other competitors. This year was her 6th time running the Boston Marathon.