The rain was back in style for the start of the 2019 Boston Marathon, but thankfully for the athletes participating, the single digit temperatures of a year ago were not on the forecast. Battling the wet and windy conditions through the streets of Boston, Josh Cassidy was able to push himself to a top ten finish over the 42.2 kilometre course.
The Oakville resident, who set a course record of 1:18.25 in winning the 2012 edition, came down the famous stretch of Boylston Street to cross the line in a time of 1 hour 29 minutes 59 seconds. Cassidy finished ninth overall and was the top Canadian in the pushrim wheelchair field.
This was Cassidy’s third marathon of 2019 after a fifth place finish in Tokyo and a win just three weeks on the streets of Los Angeles. Next up on the schedule for the three time Paralympian is the London Marathon April 28th in the British capital. A winner at the 2010 event, Cassidy will certainly be looking to improve on his ninth place finish of a year ago.
Also running in Boston today was three-time Paralympic medalist Stuart McGregor who won the visually impaired division while competing in just his second marathon. The 40-year old McGregor crossed the line in 3 hours 12 minutes 2 seconds, nearly 20 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor. The victory gives McGregor a leg up on former training partner Jason Dunkerley who finished third in the same category a year ago.
