The Boston Marathon is an American tradition, but Monday marked the first time an American citizen won the famous race in 30 years. 

Meb Keflezighi, a 38-year-old immigrant from Eritrea, a worn-torn country in the Horn of Africa, won the Boston Marathon Monday, the The New York Times reports. 

Keflezighi, an American citizen who emigrated to the United States in the mid-1980s, won the race in an unofficial time of 2:08:37.

The last winner from the United Staes was Greg Meyer, who won in 1983. The last female winner of the Boston Marathon was Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985. 

Rita Jeptoo of Kenya won the women's race on Monday in 2:18:57, setting a course record.

In 2009, Keflezighi was also the first American man to win the New York City Marathon since the 1980s. He was the first American to win the race since Alberto Salazar won in 1982.

Keflezighi and his family fled Amsara, Eritrea in the '80s, briefly settled in Italy, then permanently settled in San Diego, Calif. 

More than 30,000 racers participated in the Boston Marathon Monday morning, one year after two bombs exploded near the race's finish line, killing three and injuring hundreds. 

This year's race saw an increase in security after the tragic bombing, but the painful memory did not dampen runners' spirits. 

The attack led thousands of runners to sign up for this year's race in a show of solidarity. Organizers said the race had around 9,000 more racers than usual. 

The race also had a crowd that was estimated at around 1 million, twice the usual number of spectators.