Boston Marathon 2009 results dramatic one second finish in Women's Open Race

April 20, 12:49 PMBoston Day Trips ExaminerMari V. DeAngelis

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Boston Marathon 2009 Women Runners, AP Photo (Examiner) 

A dramatic "sprint finish" in the 2009 Boston Marathon set a record in the Women's Open Race Division, with a one second difference between the first and second place winners.

The  top three women came in within a span of just eight seconds. 

Kenya's Salina Kosgel won the Women's Division with a time of  2:32:16.  Right on the heels of Kosgel was Dire Tune, with a time of  2:32:17 followed by American Kara Goucher with a time of  2:32:25.

It was the first Marathon win for 32 year old Kosgel of Kenya. Former Women's Marathoner Katherine Switzer called the women's race a "testament to women"

"Speed has become so much a part pf the endurance effort," said Switzer in an interview with WBZ-TV after the race.

American Kara Goucher Places Third 

An emotional Goucher thanked her supporters and the people of Boston as she stood side by side with her husband to face the TV cameras.

The Boston Marathon was Goucher's second ever Marathon. Last year she came in  third at the New York Marathon, in 2:25:53. That was  the fastest ever finish for an American woman. Goucher  was among the leaders for the Boston women's race close to the 10-mile mark, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

The finish was also an emotional moment for Tune, who collapsed and had to be carried away at the finish line as winner Kosgel was crowned with the laurel wreath as the Kenyan National Anthem played. Tune is now being seen at a Boston area hospital. 

Men's Division and Wheelchair Division Winners of Boston Marathon 2009

Deriba Merga, Daniel Rono and Ryan Hall took the top three spots in the Men's Division, Open Race. In the Wheelchair Race for Women, Wakako Tsuchida, Diane Roy and Shirley S. Reilly were the top three finishers,  while Ernst Van Dyk, Masazumi Dioejimia and Roger Puigbo Verdaguer took the top three spots in the Men's Wheelchair Division.

More than 26,000 runners start the race in Hopkinton

The field of runners in the 13th Boston Marathon numbered 26, 386 on a clear but cold and windy day. After the winners crossed the finish line, runners  were still streaming in along the race course to the cheers of an enthusiastic crowd on the sidelines.