Pottstown Man Wins Delaware Marathon In Comeback Sprint Finish: See Video

WILMINGTON, DE — After twenty six miles and some two hours and forty minutes of attrition on the wet streets of Wilmington, Pottstown resident Joshua Jackson came around the final turn with the finish line in sight.

Just a straightaway remained, perhaps a hundred yards, and only one runner, Carson Mello, was a few dozen yards ahead of him.

The videos of that finishing stretch of Sunday's Delaware Marathon have since spread around the globe. Jackson, 24, came up to his toes and tore into a furious sprint, rapidly closing what seemed like an insurmountable gap in the final strides of the race. Mello, who was slowing, put his hands up in celebration a few feet from the finish line. Jackson swerved around to his left and leaned for the tape.

Jackson only came up on Mello about two strides before the line, but was kicking so hard that he beat him by a full stride. His final time was 2:43:13.51. Mello ran 2:43:14.46.

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The pair had dueled throughout the race, with Jackson slowly extending his lead to nearly 20 seconds by the 10 mile mark. But Mello reeled him back in, and the pair were dead even at the 20 mile mark. Mello had built a slight lead in the final miles that looked out of reach by the closing straight.

Sprint finishes in marathons are historically rare, and if the leaders are battling together in the final few miles after two hours of battle or more, it's generally considered a razor close race. Ironically, it's the second major marathon in two months won with an improbable, come from behind sprint finish. Jackson, Michigan's Nathan Martin won the Los Angeles Marathon last month in similar fashion.

The Delaware Marathon had 643 finishers, including dozens from Montgomery County and the surrounding area. See full results from the weekend here.