BOSTON – It was a damp and chilly Boston spring morning, but the competition was heated in the 24th-annual Boston 5K presented by Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute.
Leading the 9,306 finishers from Boston Common to Boylston Street were a pair wheelchair stars, Marcel Hug (10:25) and Tatyana McFadden (12:29), who will take to the streets again on Monday in the 130th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America.
“To go through the finish straight is a good feeling,” said eight-time Boston Marathon winner Hug, enjoying the atmosphere of race weekend.
In the footrace, a pair of 23-year-old Ethiopians, Addisu Yihune and Gela Hambese prevailed, each earning $8,000 for their victories. Complete Boston 5K results can be found here.
For Yihune, the winner’s paycheck didn’t end there – the 2022 World Junior Champion at 5,000 meters earned an extra $5,000 bonus for setting a men’s event record when he crossed the soon-to-be Boston Marathon finish line in 13:14, smashing the previous best of 13:20 set by Ben True in 2017.
Finishing second was fellow Ethiopian Mezgebu Sime (13:21), with Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat third in 13:23.
They were among a lead pack that numbered 20 until just past 2K, when six men finally broke away. Yihune and Sime gapped the field on Hereford Street, before the eventual champion took sole control coming down Boylston Street.
“I knew I needed to push at the end,” said Yihune, a 2024 Olympian at 5,000 meters. “That was my strategy.”
The top American was Cooper Teare, fourth in 13:25, 13 seconds faster than he ran in his 2024 win here. “I feel really happy with it,” he said of his race.
For the women, Hambese – the 2025 champion – was the first woman to defend her title since Buze Diriba in 2018, breaking the tape in 15:28. She was followed to the line by a pair of Americans who dueled to a photo finish for second and third, with Rachel Smith prevailing in 15:33.79 to Katie Izzo’s 15:33.91.
“I went my own way,” said Hambese, who took the lead just after 2K, of her race plan.
Izzo was the only competitor to go with her, but Smith came back to nip her at the line for the runner-up spot.
“It’s so magical,” said Smith, of the weekend’s vibe. “You can just tell that so much emotion and history is here.” On Monday, the 34-year-old Maine native will be in the Newton Hills near Mile 17 watching her brother and sister-in-law run the marathon.
“Someday, someday,” she said, of running it herself. “This is like my hometown marathon.”
A few hours after the last 5K finisher crossed the line, the three-lap B.A.A. Invitational Mile kicked off with two students from each of the eight cities and towns along the Boston Marathon course – Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston – competing in first a middle school 1K and then a scholastic mile that ended on the same Boston Marathon finish line. Complete B.A.A. Invitational Mile results can be found here.
It was a big day for Brookline in the Middle School 1000 Meters, with Alex Kvitnitsky winning for the boys in 2:58 and Hannah Tipton taking the girls’ race in 3:17.
In the Girls Scholastic Mile, Sara Blanco of Boston won in 5:17, with Newton’s Maggie Abely (5:18) and Isabelle Monaghan (5:19) going 2-3. Blanco is the reigning Division 2 cross country champion, leading her Boston Public Schools squad to its first team title in history.
“I was really proud of my performance today and the crowd kept me going so I’m really grateful for them,” said Blanco.
On the boys’ side, John Bianchi (4:25) of Natick held off the Brookline duo of Theodore Butty (4:26) and Harrison Flint (also 4:26) for the win. For Bianchi and Butty, it was déjà vu: in 2022, Bianchi won the Middle School race, with Butty right behind him in second.
“I kind of wanted to crank it hard; I knew the field was deep and there were a lot of people that could hang around if we didn’t make it go fast,” said Bianchi, who had the fastest indoor mile time in the state this season. “It’s an amazing atmosphere. I love the Boston Marathon so it’s just such a special thing to come out here and race here at the finish line. It’s truly such a blessing.”
Then it was time for the professionals. The men’s race saw six men rounding the final corner, with Eric Holt out front. Holt, a two-time Olympic Trials semifinalist at 1500 meters, would hold on for a close victory in 4:06, with Isaac Basten of the B.A.A. High Performance team given the same time for second and Canada’s Foster Malleck in third, one second back.
“I’ve gone head-to-head with Eric a million times,” said Basten. “If I had a dollar for every time I was second, I’d be a rich man. So, I knew it would be close. … What a great experience doing it in front of the home crowd.”
Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi wrapped up the day’s racing action in style, defending her title and becoming the first woman to break 4:30 here with her event-record win in 4:29. Finishing second were Americans Rachel McArthur (4:34) and Taryn Parks (4:35).
Ewoi, who after winning here went on to earn a 1500-meter medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, was grateful for the course knowledge she gained.
“If I’m losing, that’s fine,” she said of her mindset coming in. “I’m just going to run as fast as I can.”
The day’s racing concluded with the inaugural B.A.A. Youth Mile presented by Boston Children’s Hospital, featuring more than 1,000 young runners between the ages of 7 and 14 running up and down Boylston Street. Results can be found here.
Story written by Barbara Huebner
ADDITIONAL EVENTS OVER RACE WEEK
Complete schedules and event details can be found here including:
Bank of America Boston Marathon Expo | Hynes Convention Center
The Bank of America Boston Marathon Expo will be open to participants and members of the public from Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19. Participants will pick up their bib numbers and explore a sponsor pavilion, pose for photo-ops, and shop the largest collection of adidas Boston Marathon merchandise in town. An expo speaker schedule is available here.
Boston Marathon Fan Fest presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods | City Hall Plaza
Boston Marathon Fan Fest presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods in City Hall Plaza will be the place to soak in the race week atmosphere. Fan Fest will play host to live music, entertainment, photo-ops, meet and greets, and more. A complete events schedule is available here.
Samuel Adams Run Pub | City Hall Plaza
Unwind at the Samuel Adams Run Pub within Boston Marathon Fan Fest presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods! Enjoy a Samuel Adams 26.2 Brew and explore the marathon-themed beer garden featuring fun throughout the weekend.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17 THROUGH MONDAY, APRIL 20
Boston Marathon Lights the Way: presented by Bank of America | Fairmont Copley Plaza
This free evening showcase will illuminate the magnificent facade of the Fairmont Copley Plaza, providing an unforgettable visual experience. Nightly from April 16th-20th, immerse yourself in the inspiring stories of some of this year’s fundraising athletes. See their journeys, the medals, and support their causes by reacting to our show — send emojis LIVE, right to the facade of the Fairmont. For every emoji sent, Bank of America will donate $1 to participating charity programs. Illumination hours are Thursday, April 16-Saturday, April 18 8:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.; Sunday, April 19 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.; and Monday, April 20 8:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
B.A.A. Mission: Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running.
B.A.A. Vision: Committed to a world where all people can access and benefit from running and an active lifestyle.
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 130th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 20, 2026.
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 CONTACTS
Chris Lotsbom
Director of Race Communications & Media
Celia Oswitch
Manager of Communications