Olympians, Paralympians, Global Marathon Winners To Compete at 125th Boston Marathon

BOSTON—The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced more than 140 athletes will compete at the 125th Boston Marathon as part of the John Hancock Professional Athlete Team. Olympians, Paralympians, global marathon winners, and 13 previously announced Boston champions will race from Hopkinton to Boston on October 11 in the first fall edition of the Boston Marathon.

“In October, many of the world’s best athletes will look to etch their names in the history books by winning the 125th Boston Marathon,” said Tom Grilk, B.A.A. President and Chief Executive Officer. “We very much look forward to October’s competition, bringing together winners from more than one hundred global marathons. The B.A.A. is eager to continue the tradition of athletic excellence as we return to the roads leading to Boston.”

“John Hancock is proud to support this year’s professional field for the monumental, 125th running of the Boston Marathon,” said Kate Ardini, Chief Marketing Officer at John Hancock. “In our 36th year as principal sponsor, John Hancock is committed to supporting the world’s top athletes as they aim for greatness in Boston. We look forward to cheering on every athlete as they make their way to the finish.”

WOMEN’S OPEN & WHEELCHAIR DIVISION
Nine women who have clocked lifetime bests of under 2:22 will line up in Hopkinton, including Ethiopia’s Yebrgual Melese, whose 2:19:36 personal best ranks fastest in the field. She’ll be joined by compatriot and two-time Boston podium finisher Mare Dibaba, the 2015 World Athletics Championships gold medalist and 2016 Olympic Marathon bronze medalist. Ethiopian 2:20:24 marathoner Workenesh Edesa, winner of past Xiamen, Lanzhou, and Marrakech Marathons, will make her Boston debut.

Five of the top seven finishers from the 2019 Boston Marathon return, aiming to break the tape on Boylston Street: Edna Kiplagat (Kenya), Jordan Hasay (USA), Des Linden (USA), Caroline Rotich (Kenya), and Mary Ngugi (Kenya). Hasay is the second fastest American marathoner in history and twice a third-place finisher in Boston, while Ngugi is a past winner of the B.A.A. 10K and B.A.A. Half Marathon. Kiplagat, Linden, and Rotich were previously announced among a contingent of 13 Boston winners set to compete in October.

Joining Hasay and Linden among the American contingent are two-time Olympian and Providence resident Molly Huddle; Twin Cities Marathon champion Nell Rojas; and former Syracuse University All-American Paige Stoner. Huddle is the U.S. record holder for the 10 mile distance and owns the B.A.A. 5K course record.

Team USA wheelchair Paralympians Susannah Scaroni and Jenna Fesemyer will also compete, joining a strong professional wheelchair field that includes course record holder Manuela Schär and five-time champion Tatyana McFadden. Among international contenders are Shelly Woods (Great Britain), Margriet van den Broek (Netherlands), and Vanessa de Souza (Brazil).

MEN’S OPEN & WHEELCHAIR DIVISION
A mix of experienced veterans and marathon debutants will bring excitement to the men’s race. A trio of Kenyans with prior top-five finishes in Boston look to contend for the win, as Wilson Chebet, Felix Kandie, and Paul Lonyangata will use knowledge of the undulating course to their advantage. They’ll be up against a trifecta of sub-2:06 Ethiopians in Lemi Berhanu, the 2015 Boston champion, and Dejene Debela and Asefa Mengstu, who finished second and third at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Both Debela and Mengstu will be running their first Boston.

After much success over the half marathon and in cross country, Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton and Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer will both make their long awaited marathon debuts in Boston. Barsoton earned a silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships in 2017, while Yimer owns the Ethiopian national record of 58:33 in the half marathon.

Eight of the top 12 finishers from the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon will also compete in Boston, led by 2021 Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, fresh off a 41st place finish in the Olympic Marathon last week, and Scott Fauble, seventh place and top American finisher at the 2019 Boston Marathon. B.A.A. High Performance Team members Matt McDonald, Jonas Hampton, and Paul Hogan will sport the adidas unicorn uniform from Hopkinton to Boston as well.

Aaron Pike, who will compete for Team USA at the Paralympic Marathon, joins a robust professional wheelchair field that includes four champions – Daniel Romanchuk, Marcel Hug, Ernst van Dyk, and Josh Cassidy – with a combined 16 Boston Marathon titles. Eight-time Paralympic medalist David Weir of Great Britain is also entered. Challengers from Japan include Hiroki Nishida, Kota Hokinoue, and Tomoki Suzuki, the latter of whom is the reigning Tokyo Marathon champion.

PARA ATHLETICS DIVISIONS TOP CONTENDERS 
As part of the inaugural Para Athletics Divisions at the Boston Marathon, many athletes will compete for prize money and awards within the vision impaired and lower-limb impaired divisions. Among those competing are 2016 Paralympians Chaz Davis (T12), Liz Willis (T64), and marathon silver medalist and current world record holder Misato Michishita (T12) of Japan. Davis, a Massachusetts native, holds the T12 American record of 2:31:48 for the marathon, while Willis is a converted sprinter-turned-distance runner for Team USA. Also competing is Marko Cheseto Lemtukei, the world best holder for the T62 marathon having run 2:37:23 in 2019. The Boston Marathon is the first major marathon to offer prize money and awards for athletes with vision, lower-limb, and upper-limb impairments.

The complete John Hancock Professional Athlete Team field list can be found below. For media planning to cover the 125th Boson Marathon both in-person and from afar, athlete bios, race information, updated media materials, and credential application information will be available in the coming weeks.

WOMEN’S OPEN DIVISION – NAME, PERSONAL BEST, COUNTRY
Yebrgual Melese, 2:19:36 (Dubai, 2018), Ethiopia

Edna Kiplagat^, 2:19:50 (London, 2012), Kenya

Mare Dibaba, 2:19:52 (Dubai, 2012), Ethiopia

Workenesh Edesa, 2:20:24 (Valencia, 2019), Ethiopia

Sutume Kebede, 2:20:30 (Tokyo, 2020), Ethiopia

Jordan Hasay, 2:20:57 (Chicago, 2017), USA

Besu Sado, 2:21:03 (Amsterdam, 2019), Ethiopia

Helah Kiprop, 2:21:27 (Tokyo, 2016), Kenya

Bedatu Hirpa, 2:21:32 (Frankfurt, 2018), Ethiopia

Atsede Baysa, 2:22:03 (Chicago, 2012), Ethiopia

Diana Chemtai Kipyogei, 2:22:06 (Istanbul, 2020), Kenya

Desiree Linden, 2:22:38 (Boston, 2011), USA

Biruktayit Eshetu, 2:22:40 (Toronto, 2019), Ethiopia

Tigist Abayechew, 2:22:45 (Dubai, 2020), Ethiopia

Purity Changwony, 2:22:46 (Ampugnano, 2021), Kenya

Caroline Rotich, 2:23:22 (Chicago, 2012), Kenya

Molly Huddle, 2:26:33 (London, 2019), USA

Mary Ngugi, 2:27:36 (New York City, 2019), Kenya

Nell Rojas, 2:28:09 (Duluth, 2019), USA

Paige Stoner, 2:28:43 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Shiho Kaneshige, 2:28:51 (Osaka, 2020), Japan

Dakotah Lindwurm, 2:29:04 (Duluth, 2021), USA

Netsanet Gudeta, 2:29:15 (Paris, 2017), Ethiopia

Kellys Arias, 2:29:36 (Hamburg, 2016) NR, Colombia

Julia Griffey, 2:29:58 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Tish Jones, 2:31:00 (London, 2019), Great Britain

Bethany Sachtleben, 2:31:20 (Lima, 2019), USA

Dot McMahan^, 2:31:48 (Duluth, 2011), USA

Sydney Devore, 2:32:39 (Pittsburgh, 2018), USA

Hilary Dionne, 2:33:03 (Sacramento, 2018), USA

Brittany Charboneau, 2:33:14 (Atlanta, 2020), USA

Dawn Grunnagle^, 2:33:14 (Berlin, 2019) , USA

Susannah Sullivan, 2:33:27 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Heather Lieberg^, 2:34:07 (St. Paul, 2019), USA

Caitlin Phillips, 2:34:43 (Berlin, 2019), USA

Laurie Knowles^, 2:36:01 (Chicago, 2016), USA

Courtney Olson, 2:36:21 (Sacramento, 2018), USA

Brittany Moran, 2:36:22 (Sacramento, 2019), Canada

Marie Brumelot, 2:36:23 (Chicago, 2019), France

Emma Spencer, 2:37:05 (Berlin, 2018), USA

Rachel Hyland, 2:37:22 (Sacramento, 2018), USA

Andrea Pomaranski, 2:37:39 (Duluth, 2021), USA

AnnMarie Kirkpatrick, 2:37:49 (Sacramento, 2018), USA

Gina Rouse^, 2:38:41 (Atlanta, 2020), USA

Nina Zarina, 2:38:50 (Duluth, 2021), USA

Devon Yanko, 2:38:55 (Houston, 2012), USA

Jordan O’Dea, 2:38:57 (Lowell, 2019), USA

Christina Murphy^, 2:39:15 (Columbus, 2013), USA

Lindsay Nelson, 2:39:33 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Hilary Corno^, 2:42:14 (Chicago, 2018), USA

Caroline Chepkoech, Debut (1:05:07 Half), Kazakhstan

Monicah Wanjuhi, Debut (1:07:29 Half), Kenya

Elaina Tabb, Debut (1:10:44 Half), USA

Athletes with ^ next to their names are Masters (40+) athletes

 
MEN’S OPEN DIVISION – NAME, PERSONAL BEST, COUNTRY
Asefa Mengstu, 2:04:06 (Dubai, 2018), Ethiopia

Lemi Berhanu, 2:04:33 (Dubai, 2016), Ethiopia

Benson Kipruto, 2:05:13 (Toronto, 2019), Kenya

Wilson Chebet, 2:05:27 (Rotterdam, 2011), Kenya

Filex Kiprotich, 2:05:33 (Daegu, 2019), Kenya

Dejene Debela, 2:05:46 (Chicago, 2019), Ethiopia

Thomas Kiplagat, 2:06:00 (Seoul, 2019), Kenya

Felix Kandie, 2:06:03 (Seoul, 2017), Kenya

Paul Lonyangata, 2:06:10 (Paris, 2017), Kenya

Tsedat Ayana, 2:06:18 (Dubai, 2020), Ethiopia

Geoffrey Kirui, 2:06:27 (Amsterdam, 2016), Kenya

Yuki Kawauchi, 2:07:27 (Otsu, 2021), Japan

Abrar Osman, 2:07:46 (Amsterdam, 2019), Eritrea

Jake Robertson, 2:08:26 (Otsu, 2018), New Zealand

Bayelign Teshager, 2:08:28 (Los Angeles, 2020), Ethiopia

Abdi Abdirahman^, 2:08:56 (Chicago, 2006), USA

Scott Fauble, 2:09:09 (Boston, 2019), USA

Colin Bennie, 2:09:38 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Scott Smith, 2:09:46 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Stephen Scullion, 2:09:49 (London, 2020), Ireland

Augustus Maiyo, 2:10:47 (Atlanta, 2020), USA

Dylan Wykes, 2:10:47 (Rotterdam, 2012), Canada

Parker Stinson, 2:10:53 (Chicago, 2019), USA

Matt McDonald, 2:11:10 (Chicago, 2019), USA

CJ Albertson, 2:11:18 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Eric Gillis^, 2:11:21 (Toronto, 2014), Canada

Reid Buchanan, 2:11:38 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Jonas Hampton, 2:12:10 (Atlanta, 2020), USA

Tyler Pennel, 2:12:34 (Atlanta, 2020), USA

Tyler Jermann, 2:12:40 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Rory Linkletter, 2:12:54 (Chandler, 2020), Canada

Peter Gilmore^, 2:13:13 (New York, 2006), USA

Sam Kosgei, 2:13:26 (Sacramento, 2017), USA

Jarrett Leblanc, 2:13:51 (Sacramento, 2018), USA

Nico Montanez, 2:14:07 (Chandler, 2020), USA

Tim Young, 2:14:16 (Sacramento, 2017), USA

Carlos Trujillo, 2:14:21 (Chicago, 2012), Guatemala

Luke Humphrey^, 2:14:39 (San Diego, 2011), USA

Nitendra Rawat Singh, 2:15:18 (Guwahati, 2016), India

Daniel Ortiz Perez, 2:15:41 (Valencia, 2020), Mexico

Luis Carlos Rivero, 2:15:43 (Seville, 2020), Guatemala

Thomas Toth, 2:16:28 (Toronto, 2019), Canada

Pardon Ndhlovu, 2:16:47 (Houston, 2019), Zimbabwe

Brian Harvey, 2:17:05 (St. Paul, 2014), USA

Alex Taylor^, 2:17:08 (Duluth, 2019), USA

David Bett, 2:17:30 (Rabat, 2016), Kenya

Patrick Reaves, 2:17:45 (Sacramento, 2018), USA

Peter Bromka^, 2:19:04 (Sacramento, 2019), USA

Chip O’Hara^, 2:21:20 (Tempe, 2020), USA

Eric Blake^, 2:22:49 (Sacramento, 2018), USA

Blue Bendum^, 2:23:43 (Boston, 2014), USA

Jemal Yimer, Debut (58:33 Half NR), Ethiopia

Leonard Barsoton, Debut (59:09 Half), Kenya

Harvey Nelson, Debut (1:01:48 Half), USA

Girma Mecheso, Debut (1:02:16 Half), USA

Paul Hogan, Debut (1:04:23 Half), USA

Athletes with ^ next to their names are Masters (40+) athletes

 

WOMEN’S WHEELCHAIR DIVISION – NAME, PERSONAL BEST, COUNTRY
Manuela Schär, 1:28:17 (Boston, 2017), Switzerland

Susannah Scaroni, 1:30:42 (Grandma’s, 2019), USA

Tatyana McFadden, 1:31:30 (Grandma’s, 2019), USA

Jenna Fesemyer, 1:37:02 (Grandma’s, 2019), USA

Shelly Woods, 1:37:44 (Padova, 2008), Great Britain

Margriet van den Broek, 1:38:33 (Boston, 2017), Netherlands

Arielle Rausin, 1:40:51 (Grandma’s, 2019), USA

Vanessa de Souza, 1:45:19 (Oita, 2018), Brazil

Michelle Wheeler, 1:45:55 (Oita, 2018), USA

Yen Hoang, 2:01:06 (Boston, 2019), USA

Eva Houston, N/A, USA

 

MEN’S WHEELCHAIR DIVISION – NAME, PERSONAL BEST, COUNTRY

Marcel Hug, 1:18:04 (Boston, 2017), Switzerland

Ernst van Dyk, 1:18:04 (Boston, 2017), South Africa

Josh Cassidy, 1:18:25 (Boston, 2012), Canada

Hiroki Nishida, 1:20:28 (Boston, 2017), Japan

Kota Hokinoue, 1:20:54 (Seoul, 2013), Japan

Aaron Pike, 1:20:59 (Grandma’s, 2019), USA

Daniel Romanchuk, 1:21:36 (Boston, 2019), USA

Tomoki Suzuki, 1:21:52 (Tokyo, 2020), Japan

James Senbeta, 1:24:27 (Boston, 2017), USA

Simon Lawson, 1:25:06 (Boston, 2017), Great Britain

David Weir, 1:26:17 (Boston, 2016), Great Britain

Sho Watanabe, 1:26:22 (Seoul, 2017), Japan

Johnboy Smith, 1:29:44 (Berlin, 2017), Great Britain

Tristan Smyth, 1:29:53 (Berlin, 2018), Canada

Hermin Garic, 1:32:27 (Grandma’s, 2019), USA

Callum Hall, 1:32:49 (Seoul, 2019), Great Britain

Christian Clemmons, 1:38:08 (Grandma’s, 2019), USA

Tiaan Bosch, 1:39:01 (Dubai, 2020), South Africa

 

PARA ATHLETICS DIVISIONS TOP CONTENDERS – NAME, PERSONAL BEST, COUNTRY, CLASSIFICATION
Chaz Davis, 2:31:48, USA, T12 (Vision Impairment)

Misato Michishita, 2:56:14, Japan, T12 (Vision Impairment)

Tayana Passos, 3:22:27, Brazil, T13 (Vision Impairment)

Marko Cheseto Lemtukei, 2:37:23, USA, T62 (Lower Limb Impairment)

Adam Popp, 3:17:35, USA, T63 (Lower Limb Impairment)

Liz Willis, 4:57:43, USA, T64 (Lower Limb Impairment)

Danielle McLaughlin, 3:50:50, USA, T64 (Lower Limb Impairment)

 

For the 36th year, John Hancock will serve as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Boston Marathon was moved from its traditional date of the third Monday in April to Monday, October 11. The fall race will feature a field size of 20,000 participants, as well as a rolling start for the first time. The in-person race will be complemented by a virtual race, which will be held from Friday, October 8 through Sunday, October 10.