MN runner finishes as top American woman at Boston Marathon for 2nd straight year

Elk River native finishes 5th in Boston Marathon

The first American across the Boston Marathon finish line, Elk River native Emma Bates was also the 5th contestant to finish. FOX 9’s Kelcey Carlson spoke with her mother Michelle following the excitement.

(FOX 9) - A Minnesota runner has again finished as the top American woman in the Boston Marathon, according to unofficial results.

It's the second straight year that Emma Bates, an Elk River High School grad, has been the first American woman to cross the finish line.

This time around, she finished the marathon in just 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 14 seconds. She was about five minutes behind the top overall woman runner, Hellen Obiri, an Olympian from Kenya. Obiri was also the top woman last year.

Last year, Bates ran her personal best time, 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 10 seconds, which would have been enough to win this year.

US distance runner Emma Bates greets fans after crossing the finish line during the 128th Boston Marathon on April 15, 2024, in Boston, Massachusetts. The marathon includes around 30,000 athletes from 129 countries running the 26.2 miles from Hopkint (Getty Images)

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