Kenyan runners recount Boston ordeal

Two Kenyan athletes who escaped unhurt in the Boston blast returned home on Wednesday night to a tearful reception.

Rita Jeptoo and Micah Kogo arrived in Nairobi still rattled by the explosion that claimed three lives and left 180 injured.

"I was the last athlete with the media at the finish line and I had just walked to the footsteps of the hotel when the explosion happened.

"At first I did not know what was wrong and moments later, I was being pulled by security, told there was a problem outside and there was no leaving the hotel," Jeptoo, who won her second Boston crown in 2:26:25 on Monday, said.

Mr Kogo, who hung in the coat-tails of Ethiopian pair Lelisa Desisa and Gebre Gebremarriam to finish second, said he saw many people injured after the blast.

"I tried to calm down because I was on the safe side inside the hotel and after sometime, we saw the news and because we were only ten meters from the scene, we looked down from the window and saw people screaming, lying down flat on the ground, it was bad.

"I still do not know why they did this? What were they planning to achieve? Who are these guys who would place a bomb in a huge crowd?

"They should have come to cheer instead; so many people were along the route happy and cheering for us and the fun runners who were behind and were affected," he said.

Kogo who won the 10,000m Olympics bronze in Beijing also told of the fear his family had when news of the blast broke out.

"They were trying to call me at the same time and I was telling them we were okay until the phones went off.

"Later, we were told it was because of security but it was very chaotic and I thank God that I came out of it alive," he added.

However, both athletes said they would not be deterred by the incident and will still participate in future Boston marathons.

"Next year, if I'm in shape, I will return to Boston to defend my title since we cannot stop because this happened.

"It was an incident that is now passed and I'm sure organisers will work on preventing it from ever happening again," Rita said.

Other Kenyan runners who took part in the race, including Wesley Korir, are expected home on Thursday and Friday.