Defending Cleveland Marathon champion repeats title — then gets engaged

CLEVELAND — The 2024 Cleveland Marathon is underway and runners are starting to cross the finish line on St. Clair Avenue. 

And for the second year in a row, the first runner to cross the line in the full marathon is Will Loevner of Pittsburgh. 

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The 2023 Cleveland Marathon champion defended his title at this year's race before immediately earning another title: fiancé. 

Loevner got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend — now fiancée — Emma Patterson, immediately after crossing the finish line in first place. 

3News' Kierra Cotton was at the finish line and captured the sweet moment on camera. You can see the proposal in the video player at the top of this page. 

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