Defending Champions, Course Record Holders & Paralympic Medalists Lead Professional Wheelchair Field for 2025 Boston Marathon

January 7, 2025

Increased prize awards announced as 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the wheelchair division in Boston

BOSTON. January 7, 2025 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/  – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced a historic lineup of professional wheelchair division athletes set to compete at the 2025 Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. In celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the wheelchair division, the strongest field in history will feature champions, course record holders, and reigning Paralympic medalists.

Back to defend their titles will be Switzerland’s Marcel Hug and Great Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper. Hug earned his seventh Boston Marathon crown in course record time in 2024, clocking 1:15:33 – also a world best. Rainbow-Cooper became the first British woman to win the wheelchair division since the race’s inception, finishing a minute and 30 seconds ahead of the competition in 1:35:11.

This year’s Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America will mark the 50^th anniversary of Bob Hall’s pioneering 1975 finish, when the Massachusetts native became the first official wheelchair finisher in race history. In the five decades since, more than 1,880 wheelchair athletes have completed the race.

“On this remarkable year marking a half century of wheelchair racing on the roads leading to Boston, we’re proud to welcome the world’s best to compete for not only podium places and personal bests, but also record setting prize awards,” said Dr. Cheri Blauwet, B.A.A. Chair and a two-time Boston Marathon champion. “We can expect memorable races unfolding from start to finish, culminating in great moments on Boylston Street.”

“I look forward to returning to Boston and building off last year, when I broke the course record,” said Hug. “Boston’s course suits me well and I’m excited for the spring racing season to begin.” With another win, Hug will match Jean Driscoll for second on the all-time wins list, only behind Ernst van Dyk’s ten Boston crowns.

“2024 was an amazing year, with winning my first Abbott World Marathon Major at Boston and then going on to my debut Paralympic Games,” said Rainbow-Cooper. “I am so excited to return to Boston in 2025 and see what this year holds for me. Breaking the tape at Boston was a dream and I can’t wait to get out on the roads again.”

Beyond Hug and Rainbow-Cooper, many familiar faces will be back in Boston including four-time winner and women’s course record holder Manuela Schär of Switzerland, American champions Daniel Romanchuk, Susannah Scaroni, and Tatyana McFadden, as well as 2024 Boston Half champion Michelle Wheeler. Romanchuk won the Boston Half in 2024 and is a two-time Boston Marathon winner, while Scaroni broke the tape on Boylston Street in 2023 despite stopping to fix a loose wheel early in the race.

Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner will race in Boston for the first time, coming off a career year that included six Paralympic medals (five gold) in Paris including one in the Paralympic Marathon. She’s a champion of the Berlin, London, Chicago, and New York City Marathons. Additional international talent expected to compete include David Weird (Britain) and Madison de Rozario (Australia), the third-place finishers at Boston last year.

INCREASED PRIZE AWARDS FOR WHEELCHAIR DIVISION

Top finishers will compete for the largest wheelchair division prize awards in event history, with $262,500 available to the top ten men’s and women’s finishers, with an additional $50,000 available if either course record is broken. The champion’s prize is now $50,000, increased from $40,000 in recent years.

A complete breakdown of wheelchair division prize awards can be found here. Increases in wheelchair division prize amounts were also made for the 2025 Boston 5K, B.A.A.10K, and Boston Half.

NUMEROUS CHAMPIONS RETURN IN BOSTON’S PARA ATHLETICS DIVISIONS

Athletes from six countries will compete across seven Para Athletics Divisions in Boston, with top finishers earning prize money and awards. Among the men’s champions returning are El Amin Chentouf (Morocco, T12 vision impairment), Marko Cheseto Lemtukei (USA, T62/T64; T42/T44 lower-limb impairment), Atsbha Gebremeskel (Ethiopia, T45-T47 upper-limb impairment), Thomas Cantara (USA, T20 intellectual impairment), and Andrew Thorsen (USA, T13 vision impairment). Chentouf, Cheseto Lemtukei, and Cantara hold event records for their respective classifications. New to Boston will be T12 Paralympic Marathon gold medalist Wajdi Boukhili of Tunisia. Richard Whitehead MBE (Great Britain), the decorated four-time Paralympic medalist sprinter-turned-prolific marathoner, will race in the T62/T64; T42/T44 Division seeking his first Boston title.

Kelly Bruno (T62/T64; T42/T44 lower-limb impairment) and Cristina Burbach (T35-T38 coordination impairment), both course record holders, are back to lead the women’s field, and will be joined by Paralympic swimmer and triathlete Melissa Stockwell (T43/T61/T63, lower-limb impairment).

The B.A.A. will announce the Professional Open Division field tomorrow. A complete list of the Professional Wheelchair and Para Athletic Division fields can be found below; updates to the start list will be made here as race day approaches.

Media credential applications for the 2025 Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America will open in February. Information will be posted to the B.A.A.’s Media Relations page in the coming month.

2025 BOSTON MARATHON PROFESSIONAL WHEELCHAIR DIVISION

2025 BOSTON MARATHON PROFESSIONAL PARA ATHLETICS DIVISIONS

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.) 

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The economic impact of the 2024 Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America produced $509.million in state and local economic activity. The 129th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 21, 2025.

The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Chris Lotsbom
Director of Race Communications & Media
Clotsbom@baa.org

Lorna Campbell
Head of Public Relations
Lcampbell@baa.org

Boston Athletic Association | Boston, MA 02116 | www.baa.org | media@baa.org