It is a common site to see professional runners of all kinds locking up the top five spots in the Boston Marathon, but Arizona had some incredible ties to this year’s top finishers.  ASU alum Desiree Linden became the first U.S. woman to win Boston Marathon in 33 years. She finished in 2:39.54 on a cold and rainy Boston day. Linden attended ASU from 2001-2004. She had the high honors of being an All-American in both track and cross country and was also a two-time Olympian, competing in 2012 and 2016.

Shortly after her finish, the cameras turned to the 2nd place finisher, and what they found was a big surprise. A Tucson woman shocked the world taking second place.  Coming in about four minutes behind the first-place finisher was a relative unknown.             

Tucson resident Sarah Sellers is a registered nurse and is not a full-time runner. She has no sponsors and does not train full time.   Yet she came to Boston to run, and run she did.  Right into the second-place finish of the race.

According to several sources, it was Sellers “second marathon ever.” Sellers was a standout track star in college.  Then running for Ogden state in Utah, the athlete’s career was cut short due to a foot injury, said Weber State track coach Paul Pilkington in an article written by the Boston Globe.   Sellers hoped only to qualify high enough in the rankings to have a shot at the Olympic Trials. 

“I think I’m going to wake up and this will be a dream,” Sellers said after the race. She not only qualified, but stole the hearts of many weekend warriors, and small-town athletes across America. 

Linden and Sellers are the first American women to finish 1-2 at Boston since Joan Benoit and Patti Lyons in 1979.