The Boston Half Marathon presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund took place on Sunday, Nov. 8, with over 7,400 runners taking on the course.
Starting and finishing at Franklin Park, the annual race brought together athletes from 104 countries and 46 states for a 13.1-mile course through Boston’s Emerald Necklace.
Despite chilly temperatures, the morning brought ideal racing conditions and an energetic atmosphere, with spectators cheering runners along the course and volunteers helping keep the event moving. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also addressed participants, celebrating the runners and the community that comes together around the event in Boston.
The race saw two event records broken, including a historic performance in the men’s open division. Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel crossed the finish line in 59:49, becoming the first runner to complete a half marathon in under an hour in Massachusetts. His time broke the previous course record of 1:00:34, set by two-time Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa in 2013.Kenya’s Abel Kipchumba finished second in 1:01:03, followed by compatriot Andrea Kiptoo in 1:01:16.
In the women’s open division, Ethiopia’s Fentaye Belayneh made history by winning the Boston Half for the third consecutive year. She finished in 1:09:14, narrowly beating Kenya’s Winfred Mbithe by two seconds. Ethiopia’s Sintayehu Lewetegn rounded out the podium in 1:09:26.
The wheelchair divisions also delivered close finishes and record-breaking performances. American Yen Hoang defended her women’s title in a photo finish against teammate Jenna Ayers, with both recording times of 1:02:54. Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair division in 45:53, setting a new event record and improving on his previous record of 47:38 from 2024.
Records were also set across several categories in the Para Athletics Division, highlighting the range of athletes competing throughout the event.
