Share

Venezuelan finishes Boston marathon 20 hours later!

Boston - An inspirational Venezuelan man has become the last finisher of the Boston Marathon, crossing about 20 hours after he started.

Maickel Melamed finished at about 05:00 on Tuesday, after enduring torrential downpours and thunderstorms for the last few kilometres.

The 39-year-old Melamed has a form of muscular dystrophy that severely impairs his mobility.

He was accompanied along the race by volunteers, and was met at the finish by dozens of cheering friends and supporters.

Melamed has participated in marathons in Chicago, New York, Berlin and Tokyo, but he says Boston is special because it's where his parents brought him as a child for treatment.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2247 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE