The 2024 Boston Marathon, happening on April 15 in Boston, Massachusetts, features 22,019 runners from 127 countries, selected from 33,000 applicants. It’s a key event in the World Marathon Majors. Defending champion, Evans Chebet targets his third win against a strong field.
NFL celebrity Rob Gronkowski serves as grand marshal, adding star power. From Hopkinton to Copley Square, elite competitors are expected to finish around 11:45 a.m. for men and 12 p.m. for women. Top runners like Sisay Lemma, Gabriel Geay, Marcel Hug, Aaron Pike, and Daniel Romanchuk are also competing, making for an exciting race.
2024 Boston Marathon Schedule and Start Time
The Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place in and around the city of Massachusetts on Monday, April 15.
- Military March: 6:00 a.m. ET
- Men’s Wheelchair: 9:02 a.m. ET
- Women’s Wheelchair: 9:05 a.m. ET
- Handcycles & Duos: 9:30 a.m. ET
- Professional Men: 9:37 a.m. ET
- Professional Women: 9:47 a.m. ET
- Para Athletics Division: 9:50 a.m. ET
- Wave 1: 10:00 a.m. ET
- Wave 2: 10:25 a.m. ET
- Wave 3: 10:50 a.m. ET
- Wave 4: 11:15 a.m. ET
Where to Watch 2024 Boston Marathon
Below is the list of streaming services & broadcasters that are streaming the 2024 Boston Marathon anywhere in the world.
| Broadcaster | Countries |
| ESPN+ | United States (National) |
| FloSports | Australia |
| TSN/RDS | Canada |
| SMG | China |
| ESPN Brazil | Brazil |
| ESPN LATAM/Sur | Anguilla, Antigua, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saba, St. Barthelemy, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent/Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, Uruguay, Venezuela |
| Eurosport | Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Vatican State |
| Astro | Malaysia, Brunei |
| VTVCab | Vietnam |
| Supersport | Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Reunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
Boston Marathon 2024 Preview
As spring ushers in the bloom across Massachusetts, the city of Boston braces itself for an unparalleled display of endurance and speed, encapsulated within the 2024 Boston Marathon. Scheduled for Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 15, this venerable event invites an eclectic mix of the globe’s most elite distance runners and a vibrant sea of recreational participants, totaling 30,000 strong, to conquer its storied 26.2-mile course.
First initiated in the 19th century, the marathon maintains its status as one of the six World Marathon Majors, promising a day of competitive zeal and communal spirit. With the likes of Evans Chebet and Hellen Obiri having etched their names in history through their victories last year, the anticipation builds to see who will rise to the occasion this year.
The race sets off from the quaint town of Hopkinton, weaving through historic Massachusetts towns, and topping in the heart of Boston, near the iconic Boston Public Library. Among those vying for victory in the elite categories are Tadu Teshome and Sisay Lemma, leading their respective fields with times that hint at a marathon nothing short of exciting.
Boston Marathon 2024 Course
The Boston Marathon kicks off in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, leading runners across a challenging 26.2-mile route that finishes in Boston’s Copley Square. This course is mostly downhill, dropping a total of 459 feet. However, the early part of the race features a steep 350-foot drop within the first 4 miles, tempting many to start faster than planned.
This early sprint can leave runners’ legs feeling weak early on, akin to the texture of Boston clam chowder, particularly if they haven’t trained on similar terrain. Among the route’s obstacles are the four Newton Hills, spanning from Mile 16 to 21, with Heartbreak Hill being the most daunting due to its height and length. Moreover, a sharp downhill stretch after Heartbreak Hill can severely tire a runner’s legs, making the last few miles to the finish especially tough.
Boston Marathon 2024: Men’s Pro Field
Last year, marathon legend Kipchoge finished sixth with a time of 2:09:23, a performance seen as modest for his standards, partly because he underestimated the challenging hills. Evans Chebet, his fellow Kenyan and the previous year’s winner, knew the course well and used it to his advantage, winning the men’s race again in 2:05:54. Chebet, also the 2022 New York City Marathon winner, aims to secure his third consecutive Boston Marathon victory, a feat last achieved by Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya in 2008.
Chebet, with a personal best of 2:03:00, is one of the fastest in this year’s lineup, second only to Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, who has run 2:01:48. The race features other elite runners, including Gabriel Geay from Tanzania and Kenyans Cyprian Kotut and John Korir, with personal bests ranging from 2:03:00 to over 2:05:00.
American runners Sam Chelanga, 39, and Elkanah Kibet, 40, both with Kenyan roots and serving in the U.S. Army, stand out among the U.S. participants. They are attempting another strong showing after competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, with Chelanga and Kibet hitting their best times in 2023.
Other Americans returning from the Olympic Trials are CJ Albertson, who placed fifth, Matt McDonald, with a personal best of 2:09:49 but a recent 65th place finish, and Joseph Whelan, who came in 89th in their last race. These athletes are part of a highly competitive field aiming for top spots in the Boston Marathon.
Past Winners of Boston Marathon Men’s Division
| Year | Winner | Country | Winning Time |
| 2023 | Evans Chebet | Kenya | 2:05:54 |
| 2022 | Evans Chebet | Kenya | 2:06:51 |
| 2021 | Benson Kipruto | Kenya | 2:09:51 |
| 2019 | Lawrence Cherono | Kenya | 2:07:57 |
| 2018 | Yuki Kawauchi | Japan | 2:15:58 |
| 2017 | Geoffrey Kirui | Kenya | 2:09:37 |
| 2016 | Lemi Berhanu | Ethiopia | 2:12:45 |
Boston Marathon 2024: Women’s Pro Field
The Boston Marathon this year has an exceptionally strong group of women runners, featuring 18 athletes who have completed marathons in 2:23 or less. There’s a real chance the women’s record of 2:19:59 could be broken if the weather and race strategies align. This record was set by Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Deba in 2014.
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, who previously won in Boston and New York City, is a top contender despite being the 16th fastest based on her best time. Ethiopian runners Tadu Teshome and Hiwot Gebremariam are also leading participants with some of the fastest times below 2:20. From Kenya, Judith Korir and Edna Kiplagat, both with impressive records, are in the race. Kiplagat has won Boston twice and has shown strong form recently.
Emma Bates is the leading American hopeful, coming off a fifth-place finish in last year’s Boston Marathon. Sara Hall, the fastest American in the lineup, continues to perform well into her 40s. Des Linden, a former Boston Marathon winner, Caroline Rotich, a past winner making a comeback, and track star Jenny Simpson, trying her hand at the marathon again, are notable U.S. runners participating.
Past Winners of Boston Marathon Women’s Division
| Year | Winner | Country | Winning Time |
| 2023 | Hellen Obiri | Kenya | 2:21:38 |
| 2022 | Peres Jepchirchir | Kenya | 2:21:01 |
| 2021 | Edna Kiplagat | Kenya | 2:25:09 |
| 2019 | Worknesh Degefa | Ethiopia | 2:23:31 |
| 2018 | Desiree Linden | United States | 2:39:54 |
| 2017 | Edna Kiplagat | Kenya | 2:21:52 |
| 2016 | Atsede Baysa | Ethiopia | 2:29:19 |
Boston Marathon 2024 Prize Money
The Boston Marathon this year features a prize pool of $1.1 million. Out of this, $806,000 is set aside for the top ten male and female runners. Winners of the race will get $150,000 each.
Champions of the men’s and women’s wheelchair races will receive $40,000 each. This event is pioneering among the Abbott World Marathon Majors by giving an equal course record bonus of $50,000 to both the open and wheelchair divisions.
Boston Marathon 2024 Results
| Place | Athlete | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st place (Gold) | Sisay Lemma | Ethiopia | 2:06:17 |
| 2nd place (Silver) | Mohamed Esa | Ethiopia | 2:06:58 |
| 3rd place (Bronze) | Evans Chebet | Kenya | 2:07:22 |
| 4 | John Korir | Kenya | 2:07:40 |
| 5 | Albert Korir | Kenya | 2:07:47 |
| 6 | Isaac Mpofu | Zimbabwe | 2:08:17 |
| 7 | CJ Albertson | United States | 2:09:53 |
| 8 | Yuma Morii | Japan | 2:09:59 |
| 9 | Cyprian Kimurgor Kotut | Kenya | 2:10:29 |
| 10 | Zouhair Talbi | Morocco | 2:10:45 |
Bottom Line
The 2024 Boston Marathon on April 15 features 22,019 runners from 127 countries. Defending champion Evans Chebet seeks his third victory. NFL’s Rob Gronkowski is the grand marshal. Elite men and women finish around 11:45 a.m. and 12 p.m. respectively. A $1.1 million prize pool is up for grabs, with global broadcasts covering the event.
Sameed Aijax
April 4, 2024
1 month ago
