WINNERS: The first to finish the Boston Marathon this year is Desiree Linden.
By Esther Whang, Staff Writer
Desiree Linden is now the first female American to win the Boston Marathon since 1985. This is a significant feat because being the first female to finish is not only making a statement for Linden, but for females worldwide. This feat was especially impressive considering the harsh weather conditions; she endured biting cold, rain, and fierce winds in order to reach the finish line.
The topic of feminism is brought up in this situation because of how few female runners there are who win. The fight for equal treatment of women has ensued for centuries. It was not until 1920 that women were finally granted their right to vote. However, although females are supposed to be treated as equal to men, unfair treatment of women still happens today. In almost every job except for a certain few, women are paid less than men. Statistics prove this. “On average, a woman earns 80.5% less than her male counterpart,” according to an article by Business Insider. The writers of the article, Sonam Sheth, Shayanne Gal and Sky Gould, discuss the statistics of the percent difference between women’s salaries and men’s salaries in varying states of America and how the gaps are determined by a women’s age, race, and whether they have children. The rise of more powerful female figures are running this world, and they serve as inspirations for everyone, especially young girls. This group of inspirational women include Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.
Linden finished with a time of 2:39.54, which, according to the TIME magazine in their article “Desiree Linden Just Became the First American Woman to Win the Boston Marathon in Three Decades,” is “more than 10 minutes off her personal record but a substantial effort amid Boston’s harsh weather conditions on Monday.” “It’s a storybook,” Linden said. “I’m thrilled to be here and get it done.” Linden also added, “Even on a day like today where it’s pretty miserable out, people show up and they embrace the race.” Because of this, Linden serves as a role model and inspiration for everyone around her.
Another significance regarding the results of the Boston Marathon is the runner-up to Linden also is a woman. Sarah Tellers finished with a time of 2:44:04, only a little over four minutes behind Linden. Although she didn’t finish first, Tellers walked home with 75,000 dollars worth of prize money and also stands as an inspiration for people.