FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2019 Boston Marathon® Qualifier Acceptances
Adjustments to Future Boston Marathon Qualifying Standards Also Announced
BOSTON - The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today continued its
notification to applicants of their acceptance into the 2019 Boston
Marathon®. In preparation for the 2019 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A.
implemented the same registration process for qualified runners as it used
in the 2012 through 2018 Boston Marathons, allowing the fastest qualifiers
to register first. The 123rd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April
15, 2019 and will mark the 34th consecutive year that the event will have
John Hancock as its principal sponsor.
Qualifiers who were four minutes, 52 seconds (4:52) or faster than the
qualifying time for their age group and gender have been accepted into the
2019 Boston Marathon. A total of 23,074 qualified applicants have been
accepted to date or are in the process of being accepted, pending
verification of their qualifying performance.
A total of 30,458 applications were received during the registration time
period for qualifiers, a significant increase from recent years. With the
increase in applications received, 7,384 qualifiers were unable to be
accepted due to field size limitations. In cooperation with the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the eight cities and towns along the
Boston Marathon route, the B.A.A. has set the field size for the 2019
Boston Marathon at 30,000 official entrants.
More than 80% of the 2019 Boston Marathon field will be comprised of
athletes who have met the qualifying standards. The balance will consist of
invitational entrants, including runners participating as part of the
Boston Marathon's Official Charity Program and John Hancock's Non-Profit
Program, as well as invited elite athletes. Participants who ran on behalf
of more than 260 non-profit organizations raised $36.6 million for charity
at the 2018 Boston Marathon.
After thoroughly reviewing this year's applications, and comparing this
year's submission data to trends seen in the past five years, the B.A.A.
also today announced adjusted qualifying standards for all age groups
looking ahead to the 2020 Boston Marathon. This data-informed assessment
and decision factors in the increase of faster times run by Boston Marathon
qualifiers; the number of applicants within each age division and gender;
and the annual number of applications received since 2014. Qualifying
standards will be five minutes faster for all age groups, starting with the
2020 Boston Marathon.
"For countless runners, participating in and completing the Boston Marathon
is a life-long athletic goal. We look forward to welcoming 30,000
participants from across the globe to the 123rd running of the Boston
Marathon next April," said Tom Grilk, B.A.A. Chief Executive Officer. "The
B.A.A. has worked hard to ensure an equitable and fair process for gaining
entry into the Boston Marathon. Due to the unprecedented support and
interest in being part of next year's race, the B.A.A. unfortunately is
unable to accept all deserving participants who achieved hard-earned
qualifying times. We thank them for their running efforts and desire to run
with us."
Grilk continued: "We have adjusted the qualifying standards for the 2020
Boston Marathon, as the number of marathoners who have submitted
applications to run the Boston Marathon has increased significantly during
the most recent two registration years. We forecast the interest in running
Boston as continuing. We know that the running community pays close
attention to our qualifying times for their age group because they are
important factors in their training, racing and race selection. As such,
for the 2020 Boston Marathon, adjustments to all age group qualifying
standards will be five minutes (5:00) faster than previous standards."
Since 1970, the Boston Marathon has featured qualifying standards as a
means of entry. The last time the B.A.A. updated qualifying standards was
for the 2013 race, when all qualifying times regardless of age and gender
were lowered by five minutes. A breakdown of adjusted Boston Marathon
qualifying standards can be found below.
Registration for runners who met the B.A.A.'s Qualifying Standards for the
2019 Boston Marathon began on Monday, September 10 using a "rolling
admission" schedule and continued through Saturday, September 15.
Registration re-opened on Monday, September 17 and application submissions
were received through Wednesday, September 19. Registration for the Boston
Marathon is not first-come, first-served, but rather allows for a more
systematic and orderly application procedure with the fastest qualifiers of
those who submitted entries accepted.
- 30,458 applications were received during the registration period for
qualifiers.
- 23,074 qualified applicants have been accepted to date or are in the
process of being accepted, pending verification of their qualifying
performance.
- 7,384 applicants were unable to be accepted due to the large number of
eligible qualifiers who submitted an application for entry combined with
field size limitations.
- This year's 'Cut-Off' time needed to gain entry into the Boston Marathon
was 4 minutes, 52 seconds or faster than the qualifying time for each
respective age group and gender.
During the registration period, the breakdown of accepted Qualifiers was as
follows:
- 5,256 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 20 minutes, 00 seconds or
faster.
- 8,620 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 10 minutes, 00 seconds or
faster.
- 8,545 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 05 minutes, 00 seconds or
faster.
- 220 Qualifiers met their qualifying time by 4 minutes, 52 seconds or
faster.
- 433 Qualifiers were accepted based on finishing 10 or more consecutive
Boston Marathons.
- 270 Qualified Athletes with Disabilities have been accepted, or are
expected to be accepted, through the conclusion of the Athletes with
Disabilities registration period.
Qualifying performances for the 2019 Boston Marathon must have been run
between September 16, 2017 and September 19, 2018. Notices to those
accepted will be issued by the B.A.A via e-mail.
For reference, qualifiers needed to be three minutes, 23 seconds or faster
than their age group and gender for the 2018 Boston Marathon; two minutes,
nine seconds or faster for the 2017 Boston Marathon; two minutes, 28
seconds or faster for the 2016 Boston Marathon; one minute, two seconds or
faster for the 2015 Boston Marathon; and one minute, 38 seconds or faster
for the 2014 Boston Marathon. A history of Boston Marathon qualifying
standards and cut-off times can be found here. Notices to those who
submitted an application for entry but who were not accepted were also
issued today.
2019 BOSTON MARATHON: Men's Qualifying Standards and Accepted Times*
AGE GROUP QUALIFYING STANDARD QUALIFICATION TIMES ACCEPTED
(faster than and including)
18-34 3hrs 05min 00sec 3hrs 00min 08sec
35-39 3hrs 10min 00sec 3hrs 05min 08sec
40-44 3hrs 15min 00sec 3hrs 10min 08sec
45-49 3hrs 25min 00sec 3hrs 20min 08sec
50-54 3hrs 30min 00sec 3hrs 25min 08sec
55-59 3hrs 40min 00sec 3hrs 35min 08sec
60-64 3hrs 55min 00sec 3hrs 50min 08sec
65-69 4hrs 10min 00sec 4hrs 05min 08sec
70-74 4hrs 25min 00sec 4hrs 20min 08sec
75-79 4hrs 40min 00sec 4hrs 35min 08sec
80 and older 4hrs 55min 00sec 4hrs 50min 08sec
2019 BOSTON MARATHON: Women's Qualifying Standards and Accepted Times*
AGE GROUP QUALIFYING STANDARD QUALIFICATION TIMES ACCEPTED
(faster than and including)
18-34 3hrs 35min 00sec 3hrs 30min 08sec
35-39 3hrs 40min 00sec 3hrs 35min 08sec
40-44 3hrs 45min 00sec 3hrs 40min 08sec
45-49 3hrs 55min 00sec 3hrs 50min 08sec
50-54 4hrs 00min 00sec 3hrs 55min 08sec
55-59 4hrs 10min 00sec 4hrs 05min 08sec
60-64 4hrs 25min 00sec 4hrs 20min 08sec
65-69 4hrs 40min 00sec 4hrs 35min 08sec
70-74 4hrs 55min 00sec 4hrs 50min 08sec
75-79 5hrs 10min 00sec 5hrs 05min 08sec
80 and older 5hrs 25min 00sec 5hrs 20min 08sec
* Qualified entrants for the 2019 Boston Marathon must have met the
designated time standard that corresponds with their age group and gender
in a certified marathon on or after September 16, 2017. Proof of
qualification must accompany each athlete's application, and participants
are required to be 18 years or older on Boston Marathon race day.
2020 BOSTON MARATHON: Updated Men's and Women's Qualifying Standards
AGE GROUP MEN'S QUALIFYING STANDARDS WOMEN'S QUALIFYING STANDARDS
18-34 3hrs 00min 00sec 3hrs 30min 00sec
35-39 3hrs 05min 00sec 3hrs 35min 00sec
40-44 3hrs 10min 00sec 3hrs 40min 00sec
45-49 3hrs 20min 00sec 3hrs 50min 00sec
50-54 3hrs 25min 00sec 3hrs 55min 00sec
55-59 3hrs 35min 00sec 4hrs 05min 00sec
60-64 3hrs 50min 00sec 4hrs 20min 00sec
65-69 4hrs 05min 00sec 4hrs 35min 00sec
70-74 4hrs 20min 00sec 4hrs 50min 00sec
75-79 4hrs 35min 00sec 5hrs 05min 00sec
80 and older 4hrs 50min 00sec 5hrs 20min 00sec
The qualifying window for the 2020 Boston Marathon began on Saturday,
September 15, 2018, and will continue through the conclusion of 2020 Boston
Marathon registration next fall. Registration dates for the 2020 Boston
Marathon will be announced next year. Please note that the new qualifying
standards do apply to valid marathon times run at races between September
15, 2018 and this announcement.
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.'s Boston Marathon is the world's
oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and
supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs,
including high performance athletes and running club. Since 1986, the
principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. The Boston
Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with
international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York
City. More than 60,000 runners participate in B.A.A. events annually. The
123rd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 15, 2019. For more
information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
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