Frank Meza Found Dead After Allegations of Cheating in 2019 Los Angeles Marathon
Jul 5, 2019
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JUNE 23: Athletes compete during the Rio de Janeiro Marathon 2019 on June 23, 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)
Frank Meza, a long-distance runner who recently had his result in the 2019 Los Angeles Marathon vacated, has died at the age of 70.
Per David Wharton and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County coroner said Meza's body was discovered "on the bed of the Los Angeles River near the Riverside-Figueroa Street bridge."
Wharton and Fenno noted authorities responded to a call for a possible jumper on the bridge early Thursday morning and results of an autopsy are pending.
Meza participated in the L.A. Marathon in March, setting a record for his age by finishing in 2:53:10.
Amid allegations of cheating, Meza told Wharton last month he found the things being said about him in online message boards "pretty traumatic."
Race officials announced on July 1 that Meza was disqualified after video cameras showed he left the course for a brief period and his time during one stretch would be "impossible."
Meza had been participating in marathons regularly dating back to 2009.
Pittsburgh Marathon 2019: Route, Course Map, Time, Event Details
May 4, 2019
Runner's in the Pittsburgh Marathon cross the Andy Warhol Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh Sunday, May 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The Pittsburgh Marathon may not have the history or glamour of the marathons in Boston, New York and Chicago, but the event is gaining in stature and prestige every year.
This year's Pittsburgh Marathon will commence Sunday at 7:05 a.m. ET, and it will begin at Liberty Avenue, near 10th Street. From that point, the 26.2-mile race will take runners through all sections of the Steel Town.
The course will cross three rivers and three bridges, and runners will pass the homes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here's a link to the turn-by-turn directions for every step on the course.
The race will finish at the Boulevard of the Allies, between Stanwix Street and Commonwealth Place. Other main streets on the route include Penn Avenue, West Carson Street, Fifth Avenue and North Highland Avenue.
The Pittsburgh Marathon serves as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, and the course has been certified by the United States Track & Field Association.
Several other events are held in conjunction with the main race, including a half marathon, a marathon relay, a 5k race and the one-mile kids marathon.
The race will feature some excellent competition, and the women's field is led by two-time winner Ayantu Dakebo Hailemaryam of Ethiopia. She won the 2016 Pittsburgh Marathon in 2:39:18, and she repeated her title in 2017, running nearly three minutes faster
She will face a talented field that includes fellow Ethiopians Bose Gemeda Assefa an Bizuwork Getahun Kasaye. The top Americans in the field include Christina Murphy and Brittany Tretbar, who are considered rising stars.
Murphy won the 2018 Columbus Marathon and placed third in the 2015 Pittsburgh Marathon. This is her first time back in the Pittsburgh race since her third-placed finish.
"I am so excited to experience the challenges of the course and the excitement of the crowds again on May 5 and hopefully improve upon my previous performance," Murphy said, per RunnersWeb.com
The men's race will include Ethiopians Tadesse Yae Dabi, the 2018 Philadelphia Marathon champion, and Birhanu Dare Kemal and Kenyans Eliud Ngetich and Boniface Kongin.
The winners of the men's and women's races will both earn $8,000.
Britain's Mo Farah, right, and Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge pose for the media during a photo call for the London Marathon in London, Wednesday, April 24, 2019. Kipchoge and Farah are part of the Elite Men taking part in the 39th London Marathon which takes place Sunday April 28. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Eliud Kipchoge successfully defended his men's London Marathon title on Sunday, winning the 2019 edition to become the first man to taste victory in the British capital on four separate occasions.
Kipchoge sat at the front of the leading group for the bulk of the race before dropping his competition and finishing solo. His time of 2:02:37 obliterated the course record and was the second-fastest in marathon history.
Brigid Kosgei dominated the women's race, finishing ahead of last year's winner, Vivian Cheruiyot.
Below are the top finishers for the men's and women's elite race (times courtesy of the event's official website).
Men's
1: Eliud Kipchoge (2:02:37)
2: Mosinet Geremew (+00:18)
3: Mule Wasihun (+00:39)
Women's
1: Brigid Kosgei (2:18:20)
2: Vivian Cheruiyot (+01:54)
3: Roza Dereje (+02:31)
All eyes were on two runners in the men's race, as big things were expected of Kipchoge and local favourite Mo Farah.
The fans in London were pulling for Farah, but he lost track of the leading group just past the halfway point:
Britain's top long-distance runner opted to stick to his own pace, perhaps hoping to catch some of the leaders later on, but he soon lost sight of the leading group on the twisty parts of the course.
Ethiopia's Geremew, Wasihun and Tola Shura Kitata were still hanging around defending champion Kipchoge entering the final four or so miles, but the latter soon cracked.
Wasihun was the next to drop, and Geremew also started to show signs of wear:
That surge did for Wasihun. Not it’s Geremew vs Kipchoge, with about 7min to go. #londonmarathon Oh wait, Geremew also being stretched now.
Kosgei soon took the lead and twice sped up, dropping her rivals.
Defending champion Cheruiyot was able to bridge the gap the first time, but she couldn't repeat that effort after a blistering stretch from the eventual winner:
Brutally fast 5km from Kosgei (and Cheruiyot, though she’s been dropped) - 15:39 for the last segment, following a 15:53. That puts Kosgei in front, alone, with Cheruiyot about 30m back now. Projects 2:20:18. The second half will be low 67, even with a small slowdown pic.twitter.com/wddWHN6cb9
Her finishing time of 2:18:20 was nearly two minutes faster than that of Cheruiyot, courtesy of a phenomenal final stretch.
Britain's Charlotte Purdue impressively took 10th place, a spot that should count as an Olympic qualifier for Tokyo 2020, according to BBC Sport's Mike Henson and Mantej Mann. In the men's race, Callum Hawkins also took 10th place.
The famed spires at at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day May 5, 2007 in Louisville. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
In Louisville, Kentucky, and in much of the rest of the United States, the first Saturday in May means only one thing: it's Kentucky Derby time.
The legendary 10-furlong race at Churchill Downs is the biggest event in American racing, and fittingly, it is preceded by the two-week-longKentucky Derby Festival, which includes the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon.
This year's Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, with the marathon taking place a week earlier on Saturday, April 27.
Here is the schedule for the day:
6 a.m. ET: Gear check drop off begins at Louisville Slugger Field (corner of Floyd St. & Main St.)
7:25 a.m. ET: Wheelchair division start time (corner of Brook St. & Main St.)
7:30 a.m. ET: Marathon and miniMarathon start time (corner of Brook St. & Main St.)
1:30 p.m. ET: Course closes (six-hour time limit)
Beginning a stone's throw from the Ohio River, the 26.2-mile course of the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon snakes through Louisville before heading south for Churchill Downs.
After a lap of one of the most famous horse racing venues on the planet, runners then circle the 739-acre Iroquois Park before heading back downtown for the finish.
Here is a look at the course map:
Make sure you know your hydration opportunities in advance of the race - @louisvillewater has you covered with 15 water stops along the race route!
— Derby Festival mini/Marathon (@KDFMarathon) April 10, 2019
The full details of the course, including restrictions and highlights, can be found at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.
While the Kentucky Derby is regularly dubbed "the fastest two minutes in sports," the competitors in the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon will be pounding the streets for significantly longer.
Mercifully, though, it is a largely flat course, except for a hilly stretch in Iroquois Park.
With thousands of runners involved, and thousands more lining the streets, 2019's Derby Festival Marathon should, once again, be an occasion worthy of the horse-racing spectacular it precedes.
China Bans 3 Runners For Life After Cheating at 2019 Boston Marathon
Apr 19, 2019
Runners race to the finish line in the 123rd Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2019, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Three marathon runners found guilty of cheating at the 2019 Boston Marathon on Monday have been banned for life by the Chinese Athletic Association.
The CAA levied the punishments on Friday, per BBC News. A trio of runners were found to have committed the following infractions: "One participant gave his bib to someone else while the other two used forged certificates to gain entry."
Per BBC, China's Xinhua news agency relayed a statement from the CAA promising to do all it can "in order to build a healthy and clean environment of road running in China."
As the BBC News report noted, marathon running has been becoming more and more popular in China: "with 1,500 running events last year compared to just 22 in 2011." The surge in appreciation for the sport was underlined by the participation of "more than 550 Chinese runners" in Boston.
This photo taken on March 10, 2019 shows runners taking part in the 2019 Rugao International Marathon in Nantong in China's eastern Jiangsu province. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, a byproduct of said popularity has been a rise in incidents of cheating to both make and complete races. Faced with the problem, the CAA is anxious to mete out appropriate punishments for those whose actions had a "negative impact" on the country and its international standing.
To help deter future incidents, China is said to be planning the use of "facial-recognition technology," per Agence France-Presse (h/tInquirer.net).
While authorities in China have taken swift action, cheating remains a sport-wide problem for marathon events. Earlier in April,Jen A. Millerof theNew York Times published an article detailing the work of Derek Murphy, a financial analyst who started the websiteMarathon Investigation.
Since 2015, Murphy has been investigating potential cheaters. His findings have led to post-race disqualifications for several runners, further evidence of a growing problem.
Red Hilton, Boston Marathon's Final Runner, Helped Raise over $6K for Charity
Apr 17, 2019
Lelisa Desisa, of Ethiopia, leads the pack of men's elite runners along the course during the the 123rd Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2019, . (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Red Hilton, who was the final person to complete Monday's Boston Marathon, helped raise $6,000 as part of the Boston Medical Center's team of runners.
According to Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe, Hilton finished the race at around 8 p.m. ET, which was long after most of the other 33,000 participants had left and after cleanup crews had already begun tidying up the area.
Hilton is a 46-year-old mother and realtor from East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, who said after the race, "The time will never matter. It's the fact that I finished."
Matt Pepin of the Boston Globe tweeted a photo of Hilton being met by her son as she crossed the finish line:
While Hilton said that finishing the 26.2-mile run was a struggle at times, she kept telling herself, "I didn't come this far to come this far," to will herself to the finish. Hilton also said that she took part in the race because she wanted to be "a part of something bigger than [herself]."
Hilton finished the Boston Marathon more than nine hours after the last wave of runners began and well after the likes of men's winner Lawrence Cherono of Kenya (2:07:57) and women's winner Worknesh Degefa of Ethiopia (2:23:31).
While Hilton may not have received the same adulation as Cherono and Degefa, she was met with a hug from her son and earned a medal celebrating her accomplishment.
Watch 2019 Boston Marathon Men's Title Comes Down to a Sprint to Finish Line
Apr 15, 2019
Lawrence Cherono, left, of Kenya, runs to the finish line to win the 123rd Boston Marathon in front of Lelisa Desisa, of Ethiopia, right, on Monday, April 15, 2019, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
Kenya's Lawrence Cherono and Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa ran for more than two hours and seven minutes during Monday's Boston Marathon but were separated by a mere two seconds at the finish line.
Cherono outlasted Desisa in a dramatic sprint to the finish to win the 123rd running of the race:
Scott Fauble was the top United States finisher among the men, coming in seventh, while Desiree Linden crossed the finish line first among the American women, coming in fifth.
The men's race was full of drama, as Cherono barely edged out Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisaf in a wild sprint to the finish. According toCindy Borenof the Washington Post, it was the closest finish in the Boston Marathon since 1988.
The Boston Marathon came down to a one-block SPRINT 😳
Chereno is a six-time marathon winner, per ESPN.com, though he had never run the Boston Marathon before Monday. Desisaf, meanwhile, saw his bid for a third straight title in Boston upstaged by Cherono.
Per Boren, Cherono was so drained by the race that he required help to stand get up on the podium, though he noted he was "so happy, so grateful" for the win.
The women's race had less drama, as Degefa completely dominated the field, pulling ahead early and remaining in control for over 20 miles.
There were also some famous athletes in the field Monday. The 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won the Boston Marathon in 1979, finished the race.
Boston Marathon legend Joan Benoit Samuelson finishes the Boston Marathon 40 years after her historic win. pic.twitter.com/vCrfvS0ttp
NASCAR superstar Jimmie Johnson was also in the field.
"Training is a part of every racecar driver's life," Johnson told Boren. "Certainly, getting ready for a marathon is more than the normal event. There's just a lot of miles required."
Brighton Marathon 2019 Results: Helen Davies, Peter Le Grice Win Races
Apr 14, 2019
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: A general view of the Color Run presented by Dulux, known as the happiest 5km on the planet on September 20, 2014 in Brighton, England. Runners of all shapes, sizes and speeds start wearing white clothing. At each kilometre a different colour of powder is thrown in the air with the runners becoming a constantly evolving artwork. At the end of the course runners are greeted by the Color Festival where the air is filled with music and stunning coloured powder bursts creating a vibrant party atmosphere. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images for Dulux)
Helen Davies won the Brighton Marathon for the third consecutive year on Sunday as she topped the women's elite race, while Peter Le Grice won the men's race.
Davies led from start to finish and set a time of two hours, 34 minutes and six seconds, more than four minutes quicker than her winning time last year, while Le Grice finished in 2:16:23:
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
Jill Collett and Johanna O'Regan rounded out the women's top three, but they were well behind Davies with finishing times of 2:48:14 and 2:49:38, respectively.
The Brighton & Hove Independent captured Davies' winning moment:
— Brighton and Hove Independent – The Brighton Indy (@BrightonIndy) April 14, 2019
There was a close battle behind him for the podium places, though:
The leaderboard shows Peter Le Grice heading well inside the current UK course best time of 2:18:04 As projected inside 2:15! What a battle for the podium places behind with 1second separating 4 runners! #brightonmarathonpic.twitter.com/ObYmINRSB3
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
In the end, Paul Navesey took second with a time of 2:18:16 to finish ahead of Ian Leitch, who recorded a time of 2:18:33.
Last year's runner-up Dan Nash had to settle for fourth, while Corney came fifth. Each of the top six men finished in under 2:20:00.
Earlier, there were course records for Nick Goolab and Steph Twell in the elite 10-kilometre races:
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
In the elite women's 10k race, @StefApril won by over 1 minute in 31:58, ahead of Mhairi Maclennan, Emily Hosker-Thornhill and Kate Reed #BM10k 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UpU5kI7BVQ
— Brighton Marathon Weekend (@BrightonMarathn) April 14, 2019
Boston Marathon 2019: Route, Course Map, Times, Road Closures and Event Details
Apr 14, 2019
Timothy McFadden, of Boston, splashes through a puddle after finishing the 122nd Boston Marathon in the rain on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
On Monday—Patriots' Day in several states—the 123rd Boston Marathon will be held. The 30,000 participants will line up on Main Street in Hopkinton and make their way 26.2 miles through the city and its surrounding towns before racing past the finish line in Copley Square.
And they'll do so in challenging circumstances. The weather forecast for Monday, per AccuWeather, calls for rain when the first set of participants, the men's wheelchair race, line up at 9:02 a.m. ET, which has the potential to grow heavy through the other waves, with the last start time scheduled for 11:15 a.m. ET.
However, the rain won't be raw, and wind shouldn't be a big factor; the temperature will be in the mid-50s and could rise above 60 in the afternoon. It certainly won't be as trying as last year's conditions.
As for this year, among the 30,000 participants are former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and husband-and-wife TV stars Jared and Genevieve Padalecki.
One of the best parts about the Boston Marathon is its humbling ability to unite runners from all walks of live; former athletes and regular folks are one and the same when it comes to 26.2 miles of what's recognized as one of the world's most challenging races.
Whether you're camping out along the route to cheer on friends and family or planning on watching remotely, here's everything you need to know about the 123rd Boston Marathon.
The race will begin on Main Street in Hopkinton, a suburb of Boston. From there, runners will traverse through suburbsAshland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley and Newton (location of the infamous Heartbreak Hill) before reaching the city proper.
Once in Boston, runners will take Hereford Street toward Boylston Street to finish in Copley Square near John Hancock Tower.
Along the way, there are plenty of road closures citizens should be aware of. They will take effect from 3:30 a.m. and continue well into the evening.
The times road closures will be in effect in each town and city are below. All are in ET.
Hopkinton: 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Ashland: 7:15 a.m-1:45 p.m.
Framingham: 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Natick: 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Wellesley: 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Newton: 8 a.m.-4:15 p.m.
Brookline: 9 a.m.-5:15 p.m
Boston: Variable-7 p.m. (Boylston Street at 8:00 p.m.)
Many of Boston's major roads will be affected by closures, including but not limited to sections of Boylston Street, Beacon Street, Newbury Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Columbus Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue. A full list of street closures can be found at Boston.gov.
Spectators or even citizens attempting to go about their days will want to make heavy use of the MBTA on Monday. The Back Bay station is just a short walk from the finish line on Boylston Street.
The Boston Athletic Association recommends using its official buses to make it out to the start in Hopkinton. More information on B.A.A. transportation can be found on its website.
The most popular spectator locations include the start of the race in Hopkinson, the Scream Tunnel in Wellesley, Heartbreak Hill in Newton and, of course, the finish line.
Results will be posted on the B.A.A. website as they become available. You can also sign up for text alerts on your favorite runners' progress through the AT&T Athlete Alert program, which you can access through any mobile network.
