2016 Boston Marathon

The 2016 Boston Marathon was the 120th running of the Boston Athletic Association's mass-participation marathon. It took place on Monday, April 18 (Patriots' Day in Massachusetts). Both of the winners were from Ethiopia: the men's race was won by Lemi Berhanu Hayle in a time of 2:12:45. Atsede Baysa won the women's race with a time of 2:29:19.

2016 Boston Marathon
Winners Lemi Berhanu Hayle and Atsede Baysa approaching the halfway point
Venue	Boston
Dates	April 18
Champions
Men	Lemi Berhanu Hayle (2:12:45)
Women	Atsede Baysa (2:29:19)
Wheelchair men	Marcel Hug (1:24:06)
Wheelchair women	Tatyana McFadden (1:42:16)
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Course

Course map

The event ran along the same winding course the Marathon has followed for many decades ‍—‌26 miles 385 yards (42.195 km) of roads and city streets, starting in Hopkinton and passing through six Massachusetts cities and towns, to the finish line beside the Boston Public Library, on Boylston Street in Boston's Copley Square.^[1]

Over 30,000 valid entries were submitted, with an approximate total of 27,500 runners starting the race. All 50 US states were represented at the marathon, as well as several U.S territories, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.^[2]

The race was broadcast live on WBZ-TV in Boston and on NBC Sports in the rest of the United States.

Race summary

Joyce Chepkirui, Tirfi Tsegaye and Valentine Kipketer lead the women at mile 19

Second place Lelisa Desisa leads eventual winner Lemi Berhanu Hayle at mile 19

Race day was sunny and warm, with temperatures around 70 F (21 C) and a little wind. Security was extensive, with police from several towns and national guard patrolling along the course.^[3]

Women

Defending women's champion Caroline Rotich entered but did not complete the race, withdrawing after 5.0 miles (8.0 km). Three runners, Joyce Chepkirui, Tirfi Tsegaye and Valentine Kipketer led at 19.0 miles (30.6 km). Eventual winner, Atsede Baysa, well behind (by 37 seconds) even at 22.0 miles (35.4 km), passed second and third-place finishers Tsegaye and Chepkirui with two miles to go.^[4][5]

Men

Lelisa Desisa, who won Boston in 2013 and 2015, and 21-year-old Lemi Berhanu Hayle led the men's field for most of the race. Hayle pulled ahead of Desisa off the Massachusetts Turnpike into Kenmore Square at 25 miles (40 km), maintaining his lead to take the finish line.^[6] Yemane Tsegay came in third, completing a podium sweep for Ethiopia.^[7][8]

Wheelchair

In the wheelchair races, Marcel Hug won his second Boston Marathon in a three-way finish with ten-time winner Ernst van Dyk and Kurt Fearnley. Tatyana McFadden won her fourth successive title, a full minute ahead of Manuela Schär and 2015 runner-up Wakako Tsuchida.^[5]

Results

Official results from the Boston Athletic Association:^[9]

Elite Men Place Athlete Nationality Time Lemi Berhanu Hayle  Ethiopia 2:12:45 Lelisa Desisa  Ethiopia 2:13:32 Yemane Tsegay  Ethiopia 2:14:02 4 Wesley Korir  Kenya 2:14:05 5 Paul Lonyangata  Kenya 2:15:45 6 Sammy Kitwara  Kenya 2:16:43 7 Stephen Chebogut  Kenya 2:16:52 8 Abdi Nageeye  Netherlands 2:18:05 9 Getu Feleke  Ethiopia 2:18:46 10 Zachary Hine  United States 2:21:37

Elite Women Place Athlete Nationality Time Atsede Baysa  Ethiopia 2:29:19 Tirfi Tsegaye  Ethiopia 2:30:03 Joyce Chepkirui  Kenya 2:30:50 4 Jeļena Prokopčuka  Latvia 2:32:28 5 Valentine Kipketer  Kenya 2:33:13 6 Flomena Cheyech Daniel  Kenya 2:33:40 7 Bizunesh Deba  Ethiopia 2:33:56 8 Fate Tola  Ethiopia 2:34:38 9 Neely Spence Gracey  United States 2:35:00 10 Mamitu Daska  Ethiopia 2:37:31

Wheelchair

Men Place Athlete Nationality Time Marcel Hug  Switzerland 1:24:06 Ernst van Dyk  South Africa 1:24:06 Kurt Fearnley  Australia 1:24:06 4 David Weir  United Kingdom 1:26:17 5 James Senbeta  United States 1:26:19

Women Place Athlete Nationality Time Tatyana McFadden  United States 1:42:16 Manuela Schär  Switzerland 1:43:30 Wakako Tsuchida  Japan 1:43:34 4 Susannah Scaroni  United States 1:46:53 5 Amanda McGrory  United States 1:49:31