Including the Boston Marathon, Kwon has continued his streak of completing four out of the world's seven major marathons, including Tokyo, Sydney, and Berlin, all under three hours.
The Tokyo and Boston Marathons were ranked as the top two international marathons that Korean runners aspire to participate in, according to a trend report released in March by global running brand Saucony and PR firm East West North South. In the same survey, Kwon was ranked fourth as the most desired marathon coach, with Barcelona Olympic gold medalist Hwang Young-jo taking the top spot.
As a Saucony ambassador, Kwon surprised Lee with a gift of the limited edition Boston Marathon version of the premium racing shoe, the Endorphin series, as a token of gratitude the day before the race. Lee provided valuable advice on course inspection and condition management and was present at both the start and finish lines to cheer Kwon on, offering unwavering support as a senior runner who had conquered the Boston Marathon before.
Known as a close friend of Gian84, Kwon expressed his emotions, saying, "Seeing Lee Bong-ju waiting for me at the finish line brought tears to my eyes. Thanks to the support of many people, I was able to complete the 42.195 km in Boston with a great time and happiness."
Reporter Lee So-jung, TenAsia forusojung@tenasia.co.kr