Marcel Hug Wins Boston Marathon Men's Wheelchair Race, But Wrong Turn Costs Him Course Record And $50,000
BOSTON (CBS) -- Marcel Hug has added yet another Boston Marathon victory to his collection. "The Swiss Silver Bullet" won the Men's Wheelchair race at the 125th Boston Marathon on Monday, upping his Boston win total to five.
Hug took a lead from the jump Monday morning and never let up. But he missed one of the final turns -- the right onto Hereford St. -- which cost him a chance at setting a new course record and the $50,000 prize that would have come with accomplishing that feat. A line of police officers was added to the course to make sure other racers did not miss the turn.
"Just a stupid mistake. I was focusing, pushing as hard as I can. The [lead] car went straight and I followed the car when I should have gone right," Hug told WBZ-TV's David Wade of the missed turn. "It was my fault. I should know the course, I've done it several times. I'm really upset with myself."
"I'm really happy about this race and the performance, but I'm upset because that shouldn't happen," he added.
Hug finished with an official time of 1:18:11, just short of his previous course record of 1:18:04, which he set in 2017.
His 2021 victory now joins Hug's Boston wins in 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015. He finished third in 2019 to break his streak of four straight Boston wins.
Daniel Romanchuk, who won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, finished second behind Hug at 1:25:46. Ernst Van Dyk, a 10-time champ at Boston, finished third at 1:28:43.