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Kathrine Switzer’s No. 261 Boston Marathon bib is officially retired

By Andrew Mahoney and Rachel G. Bowers Globe Staff,April 18, 2017, 5:29 p.m.
Kathrine Switzer poses for a portrait with members of the BAA following a ceremony held to retire her bib number 261 .
Kathrine Switzer poses for a portrait with members of the BAA following a ceremony held to retire her bib number 261 .Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

The Boston Athletic Association honored Kathrine Switzer by officially retiring her No. 261 Boston Marathon bib number on Tuesday.

Switzer ran the 2017 Boston Marathon to commemorate the 50th anniversary of becoming the first woman to finish Boston with a bib number. Switzer, 70, finished the race in 4 hours, 44 minutes and 31 seconds.

Kathrine Switzer, right, holds a reproduction of her original bib number, 261, during a ceremony to have her bib number retired.
Kathrine Switzer, right, holds a reproduction of her original bib number, 261, during a ceremony to have her bib number retired.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

The ceremony capped off a big weekend for Switzer, who ran Monday with 125 charity runners for her 261 Fearless foundation. In addition to holding court at panels and events throughout the weekend, Switzer also held the tape runners break at the Boston Athletic Association Invitational Mile on Saturday and threw out the first pitch at the Red Sox game on Sunday. And on race day, she fired the start gun for the women’s elite field.

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Kathrine Switzer, right, points to her bib number being held by BAA President Joann Flaminio as she thanks the crowd during a ceremony to have her bib number, 261, retired.
Kathrine Switzer, right, points to her bib number being held by BAA President Joann Flaminio as she thanks the crowd during a ceremony to have her bib number, 261, retired.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney.

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