July 2023
Dear Boston Marathon Participants, Volunteers, and Friends,
On behalf of the Boston Athletic Association, principal sponsor John Hancock, and all of our sponsors and supporters, we thank you for participating in the 127th running of the Boston Marathon. No amount of rain could dampen the spirit and triumph of Patriots' Day, as more than 26,600 athletes from 120 countries and all 50 U.S. states became finishers of the 127th Boston Marathon.
From start to finish, Boston Marathon race weekend was memorable. Records were set at our B.A.A. 5K, festivities and fun were had throughout Back Bay, and more than $40 million was raised for non-profit organizations. The reflection and remembrance on One Boston Day, ten years on from April 15, 2013, added extra meaning and significance to this year's event.
On Patriots' Day, it was you — our dedicated participants and volunteers — who helped celebrate a new chapter in Boston Marathon history. A total of 27,099 athletes started the event and 26,661 finished, representing a 98.4% finisher rating — one of the highest in event history. More than 9,100 volunteers served with smiles and enthusiasm, supporting participants on their journey from Hopkinton to Boston.
At the front of the field, Marcel Hug of Switzerland set a new course record of 1:17:06 in the men's wheelchair division, while Evans Chebet of Kenya secured his second consecutive victory in the men's open division. A pair of first time Boston women's winners were recognized on Boylston Street, as American Susannah Scaroni and Kenyan Hellen Obiri broke the tape in the wheelchair and open divisions, respectively.
We do recognize that the B.A.A. still has work to do. Following this year's race, conversations have begun and planning is underway on how we do better at creating a positive environment for everyone — athletes, volunteers, spectators, and supporters — across all our events. We want to make sure our work and the changes we make are meaningful, well thought out, and in collaboration with our partners and community organizations. Our mission and vision remain at the core of all we do and that we hope to achieve moving forward.
From all of us at the Boston Athletic Association, we thank you for being part of the 127th running of the world's oldest annual and most historic marathon. We wish you all the best in your future running endeavors, and hope to see you on the roads of Boston soon.
Sincerely,
Michael P. O'Leary, M.D.
Chairman of the Board
Jack Fleming President & Chief Executive Officer
