List of winners of the Boston Marathon
This page lists the winners of the Boston Marathon, which has been running continuously since 1897 and is therefore the oldest annual marathon in the world. The first race, run in 1897, included only 15 runners, all of whom were men. Women were only officially allowed to run the race beginning in 1972, though female runners had unofficially participated beginning in 1966 despite the opposition of the Boston Athletic Association, the race sponsor. The Boston Marathon became the first major marathon to include a wheelchair division in 1975 for men, and added a wheelchair division for women in 1977.
Many marathon champions have repeated their feats in following years. The record for most repeated championships stands at 8, held by Jean Driscoll in the Women's Wheelchair division. In the Men's Open division, Clarence DeMar holds the distinction of most wins with 7, Catherine Ndereba tops the Women's Open division with 4, and Ernst Van Dyck won 4 championships in the Men's Wheelchair division. The United States has had more winners than any other country, followed closely by Kenya and Canada. The United States and Canada dominated the early years of the race, and it wasn't until the 36th race in 1932 that someone from outside North America, Paul Debruyn of Germany, won the race. There has been much more national diversity among Boston Marathon champions in recent decades, with Kenya the most dominant nationality, especially in the Men's Open division.
The 42.195 km (26.2 mile) length of the marathon was not fixed before the 1924 Paris Olympics, and the Boston course varied as well. Even after the standardization of marathon lengths, the Boston course was off by nearly 200 yards from the correct distance until the mistake was discovered and corrected in 1927. Due to these changes, the marathon recognizes several course records which are slower than previous records due to being run on longer courses. 26 world records have been set on the Boston Marathon course, 1 in the Men's Open Division, 2 in the Women's Open, 13 in the Men's Wheelchair, and 10 in the Women's Wheelchair.
Men's Open
| Year | Athlete | Country/State | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot |  Kenya |
2:14:13 | 3rd victory |
| 2006 | Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot | Kenya |
2:07:14 | 2nd victory, course record |
| 2005 | Hailu Negussie |  Ethiopia |
2:11:44 | |
| 2004 | Timothy Cherigat | Kenya |
2:10:37 | |
| 2003 | Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot | Kenya |
2:10:11 | |
| 2002 | Rodgers Rop | Kenya |
2:09:02 | |
| 2001 | Lee Bong-Ju |  South Korea |
2:09:43 | |
| 2000 | Elijah Lagat | Kenya |
2:09:47 | |
| 1999 | Joseph Chebet | Kenya |
2:09:52 | |
| 1998 | Moses Tanui | Kenya |
2:07:34 | 2nd victory |
| 1997 | Lameck Aguta | Kenya |
2:10:34 | |
| 1996 | Moses Tanui | Kenya |
2:09:15 | |
| 1995 | Cosmas Ndeti | Kenya |
2:09:22 | 3rd victory |
| 1994 | Cosmas Ndeti | Kenya |
2:07:15 | 2nd victory, course record |
| 1993 | Cosmas Ndeti | Kenya |
2:09:33 | |
| 1992 | Ibrahim Hussein | Kenya |
2:08:14 | 3rd victory, course record |
| 1991 | Ibrahim Hussein | Kenya |
2:11:06 | 2nd victory, course record |
| 1990 | Gelindo Bordin |  Italy |
2:08:19 | |
| 1989 | Abebe Mekonnen | Ethiopia |
2:09:06 | |
| 1988 | Ibrahim Hussein | Kenya |
2:08:43 | |
| 1987 | Toshihiko Seko |  Japan |
2:11:50 | 2nd victory |
| 1986 | Robert de Castella |  Australia |
2:07:51 | course record |
| 1985 | Geoff Smith |  United Kingdom |
2:14:05 | 2nd victory |
| 1984 | Geoff Smith | United Kingdom |
2:10:34 | |
| 1983 | Greg Meyer |  United States (MI) |
2:09:00 | |
| 1982 | Alberto Salazar | United States (MA) |
2:08:52 | course record |
| 1981 | Toshihiko Seko | Japan |
2:09:26 | course record |
| 1980 | Bill Rodgers | United States (MA) |
2:12:11 | 4th victory |
| 1979 | Bill Rodgers | United States (MA) |
2:09:27 | 3rd victory, course record |
| 1978 | Bill Rodgers | United States (MA) |
2:10:13 | 2nd victory |
| 1977 | Jerome Drayton |  Canada |
2:14:46 | |
| 1976 | Jack Fultz | United States (VA) |
2:20:19 | |
| 1975 | Bill Rodgers | United States (MA) |
2:09:55 | course record |
| 1974 | Neil Cusack |  Ireland |
2:13:39 | |
| 1973 | Jon Anderson | United States (OR) |
2:16:03 | |
| 1972 | Olavi Suomalainen |  Finland |
2:15:39 | |
| 1971 | Alvaro Mejia |  Colombia |
2:18:45 | |
| 1970 | Ron Hill | United Kingdom |
2:10:30 | course record |
| 1969 | Yoshiaki Unetani | Japan |
2:13:49 | course record |
| 1968 | Ambrose Burfoot | United States (CT) |
2:22:17 | |
| 1967 | David McKenzie |  New Zealand |
2:15:45 | course record |
| 1966 | Kenji Kimihara | Japan |
2:17:11 | |
| 1965 | Morio Shigematsu | Japan |
2:16:33 | course record |
| 1964 | Aurèle Vandendriessche |  Belgium |
2:19:59 | 2nd victory |
| 1963 | Aurèle Vandendriessche | Belgium |
2:18:58 | course record |
| 1962 | Eino Oksanen | Finland |
2:23:48 | 3rd victory |
| 1961 | Eino Oksanen | Finland |
2:23:39 | 2nd victory |
| 1960 | Paavo Kotila | Finland |
2:20:54 | |
| 1959 | Eino Oksanen | Finland |
2:22:42 | |
| 1958 | Franjo Mihalić |  Yugoslavia |
2:25:54 | |
| 1957 | John J. Kelley | United States (CT) |
2:20:05 | course record |
| 1956 | Antti Viskari | Finland |
2:14:14 | course record |
| 1955 | Hideo Hamamura | Japan |
2:18:22 | |
| 1954 | Veikko Karvonen | Finland |
2:20:39 | |
| 1953 | Keizo Yamada | Japan |
2:18:51 | |
| 1952 | Doroteo Flores |  Guatemala |
2:31:53 | |
| 1951 | Shigeki Tanaka | Japan |
2:27:45 | |
| 1950 | Ham Kee-Yong | South Korea |
2:32:39 | |
| 1949 | Karl Leandersson |  Sweden |
2:31:50 | |
| 1948 | Gérard Côté | Canada |
2:31:02 | 4th victory |
| 1947 | Suh Yun-Bok | South Korea |
2:25:39 | world record, course record |
| 1946 | Stylianos Kyriakides |  Greece |
2:29:27 | |
| 1945 | John A. Kelley | United States (MA) |
2:30:40 | 2nd victory |
| 1944 | Gérard Côté | Canada |
2:31:50 | 3rd victory |
| 1943 | Gérard Côté | Canada |
2:28:25 | 2nd victory |
| 1942 | Joe Smith | United States (MA) |
2:26:51 | course record |
| 1941 | Leslie S. Pawson | United States (RI) |
2:30:38 | 3rd victory |
| 1940 | Gérard Côté | Canada |
2:28:28 | course record |
| 1939 | Ellison Brown | United States (RI) |
2:28:51 | 2nd victory, course record |
| 1938 | Leslie S. Pawson | United States (RI) |
2:35:34 | 2nd victory |
| 1937 | Walter Young | Canada |
2:33:20 | |
| 1936 | Ellison Brown | United States (RI) |
2:33:40 | |
| 1935 | John A. Kelley | United States (MA) |
2:32:07 | |
| 1934 | Dave Komonen | Canada |
2:32:53 | |
| 1933 | Leslie S. Pawson | United States (RI) |
2:31:01 | course record |
| 1932 | Paul DeBruyn |  Germany |
2:33:36 | |
| 1931 | James P. Henigan | United States (MA) |
2:46:45 | |
| 1930 | Clarence DeMar | United States (MA) |
2:34:48 | 7th victory |
| 1929 | Johnny Miles | Canada |
2:33:08 | 2nd victory, course record |
| 1928 | Clarence DeMar | United States (MA) |
2:37:07 | 6th victory, course record |
| 1927 | Clarence DeMar | United States (MA) |
2:40:22 | 5th victory, course record |
| 1926 | Johnny Miles | Canada |
2:25:40 | course record |
| 1925 | Charles Mellor | United States (IL) |
2:33:00 | |
| 1924 | Clarence DeMar | United States (MA) |
2:29:40 | 4th victory |
| 1923 | Clarence DeMar | United States (MA) |
2:23:47 | 3rd victory |
| 1922 | Clarence DeMar | United States (MA) |
2:18:10 | 2nd victory, course record |
| 1921 | Frank Zuna | United States (NY) |
2:18:57 | course record |
| 1920 | Peter Trivoulides | United States (NY) |
2:29:31 | |
| 1919 | Carl Linder | United States (MA) |
2:29:13 | |
| 1918 | Military Relay[1] | United States (MA) |
2:29:53 | |
| 1917 | Bill Kennedy | United States (NY) |
2:28:37 | |
| 1916 | Arthur Roth | United States (MA) |
2:27:16 | |
| 1915 | Édouard Fabre | Canada |
2:31:41 | |
| 1914 | James Duffy | Canada |
2:25:14 | |
| 1913 | Fritz Carlson | United States (MN) |
2:25:14 | |
| 1912 | Michael Ryan | United States (NY) |
2:21:18 | course record |
| 1911 | Clarence DeMar | United States (MA) |
2:21:39 | course record |
| 1910 | Fred Cameron | Canada |
2:28:52 | |
| 1909 | Henri Renaud | United States (NH) |
2:53:36 | |
| 1908 | Thomas Morrissey | United States (NY) |
2:25:43 | |
| 1907 | Thomas Longboat | Canada |
2:24:24 | course record |
| 1906 | Tim Ford | United States (MA) |
2:45:45 | |
| 1905 | Frederick Lorz | United States (NY) |
2:38:25 | |
| 1904 | Michael Spring | United States (NY) |
2:38:04 | |
| 1903 | John Lorden | United States (MA) |
2:41:29 | |
| 1902 | Sammy Mellor | United States (NY) |
2:43:12 | |
| 1901 | John Caffery | Canada |
2:29:23 | 2nd victory, course record |
| 1900 | John Caffery | Canada |
2:39:44 | course record |
| 1899 | Lawrence Brignolia | United States (MA) |
2:54:38 | |
| 1898 | Ronald J. MacDonald | Canada |
2:42:00 | course record |
| 1897 | John J. McDermott | United States (NY) |
2:55:10 | course record |
Women's Open
| Year | Athlete | Country/State | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Lidiya Grigoryeva |  Russia |
2:29:18 | |
| 2006 | Rita Jeptoo | Kenya |
2:23:38 | |
| 2005 | Catherine Ndereba | Kenya |
2:25:12 | 4th victory |
| 2004 | Catherine Ndereba | Kenya |
2:24:27 | 3rd victory |
| 2003 | Svetlana Zakharova | Russia |
2:25:19 | |
| 2002 | Margaret Okayo | Kenya |
2:20:43 | course record |
| 2001 | Catherine Ndereba | Kenya |
2:23:53 | 2nd victory |
| 2000 | Catherine Ndereba | Kenya |
2:26:11 | |
| 1999 | Fatuma Roba | Ethiopia |
2:23:25 | 3rd victory |
| 1998 | Fatuma Roba | Ethiopia |
2:23:21 | 2nd victory |
| 1997 | Fatuma Roba | Ethiopia |
2:26:23 | |
| 1996 | Uta Pippig | Germany |
2:27:12 | 3rd victory |
| 1995 | Uta Pippig | Germany |
2:25:11 | 2nd victory |
| 1994 | Uta Pippig | Germany |
2:21:45 | course record |
| 1993 | Olga Markova | Russia |
2:25:27 | 2nd victory |
| 1992 | Olga Markova | Russia |
2:23:43 | |
| 1991 | Wanda Panfil |  Poland |
2:24:18 | |
| 1990 | Rosa Mota |  Portugal |
2:25:24 | 3rd victory |
| 1989 | Ingrid Kristiansen |  Norway |
2:24:33 | 2nd victory |
| 1988 | Rosa Mota | Portugal |
2:24:30 | 2nd victory |
| 1987 | Rosa Mota | Portugal |
2:25:21 | |
| 1986 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway |
2:24:55 | |
| 1985 | Lisa Larsen Weidenbach | (Michigan) |
2:34.06 | |
| 1984 | Lorraine Moller | New Zealand |
2:29.28 | |
| 1983 | Joan Benoit | (Massachusetts) |
2:22:43 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1982 | Charlotte Teske | West Germany |
2:29:33 | |
| 1981 | Allison Roe | New Zealand |
2:26:46 | course record |
| 1980 | Jacqueline Gareau | Canada |
2:34:28 | course record [2] |
| 1979 | Joan Benoit | (Maine) |
2:35:15 | course record |
| 1978 | Gayle S. Barron | (Georgia) |
2:44:52 | |
| 1977 | Miki Gorman | (California) |
2:48:33 | 2nd victory |
| 1976 | Kim Merritt | (Wisconsin) |
2:47:10 | |
| 1975 | Liane Winter | West Germany |
2:42:24 | world record, course record |
| 1974 | Miki Gorman | (California) |
2:47:11 | course record |
| 1973 | Jacqueline Hansen | (California) |
3:05:59 | |
| 1972 | Nina Kuscsik | (New York) |
3:10:26 | |
| 1971 | Sara Mae Berman | (Massachusetts) |
3:08:30 | 3rd victory [3] |
| 1970 | Sara Mae Berman | (Massachusetts) |
3:05:07 | 2nd victory, course record [3] |
| 1969 | Sara Mae Berman | (Massachusetts) |
3:22:46 | [3] |
| 1968 | Roberta Gibb | (California) |
3:30:00 | 3rd victory [3] |
| 1967 | Roberta Gibb | (California) |
3:27:17 | 2nd victory [3] |
| 1966 | Roberta Gibb | (Massachusetts) |
3:21:40 | course record [3] |
Men's Wheelchair
| Year | Athlete | Country/State | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Masazumi Soejima | Japan |
1:29:16 | |
| 2006 | Ernst Van Dyk |  South Africa |
1:25:29 | 6th victory |
| 2005 | Ernst Van Dyk | South Africa |
1:24:11 | 5th victory |
| 2004 | Ernst Van Dyk | South Africa |
1:18:27 | 4th victory, world record, course record |
| 2003 | Ernst Van Dyk | South Africa |
1:28:32 | 3rd victory |
| 2002 | Ernst Van Dyk | South Africa |
1:23:19 | 2nd victory |
| 2001 | Ernst Van Dyk | South Africa |
1:25:12 | |
| 2000 | Franz Nietlispach |  Switzerland |
1:33:32 | 5th victory |
| 1999 | Franz Nietlispach | Switzerland |
1:21:36 | 4th victory |
| 1998 | Franz Nietlispach | Switzerland |
1:21:52 | 3rd victory |
| 1997 | Franz Nietlispach | Switzerland |
1:28:14 | 2nd victory |
| 1996 | Heinz Frei | Switzerland |
1:30:14 | 2nd victory |
| 1995 | Franz Nietlispach | Switzerland |
1:25:59 | |
| 1994 | Heinz Frei | Switzerland |
1:21:23 | world record, course record |
| 1993 | Jim Knaub | (California) |
1:22:17 | 5th victory, world record, course record |
| 1992 | Jim Knaub | (California) |
1:26:28 | 4th victory, world record, course record |
| 1991 | Jim Knaub | (California) |
1:30:44 | 3rd victory |
| 1990 | Mustapha Badid |  France |
1:29:53 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1989 | Philippe Couprie | France |
1:36:04 | world record, course record |
| 1988 | Mustapha Badid | France |
1:43:19 | world record, course record |
| 1987 | Andre Viger | Canada |
1:55:42 | 3rd victory |
| 1986 | Andre Viger | Canada |
1:43:25 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1985 | George Murray | (Florida) |
1:45:34 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1984 | Andre Viger | Canada |
2:05:20 | |
| 1983 | Jim Knaub | (California) |
1:47:10 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1982 | Jim Knaub | (California) |
1:51:31 | world record, course record |
| 1981 | Jim Martinson | (Washington) |
2:00:41 | |
| 1980 | Curt Brinkman | (Utah) |
1:55:00 | world record, course record |
| 1979 | Ken Archer | (Ohio) |
2:38:59 | |
| 1978 | George Murray | (Florida) |
2:26:57 | course record |
| 1977 | Robert Hall | (Massachusetts) |
2:40:10 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1976 | none | |||
| 1975 | Robert Hall | (Massachusetts) |
2:58:00 | course record |
Women's Wheelchair
| Year | Athlete | Country/State | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Wakako Tsuchida | Japan |
1:53:30 | |
| 2006 | Edith Hunkeler | Switzerland |
1:43:42 | 2nd victory |
| 2005 | Cheri Blauwet | United States (CA) |
1:47:45 | 2nd victory |
| 2004 | Cheri Blauwet | United States (CA) |
1:39:53 | |
| 2003 | Christina Ripp | United States (IL) |
1:54:47 | |
| 2002 | Edith Hunkeler | Switzerland |
1:45:57 | |
| 2001 | Louise Sauvage | Australia |
1:53:54 | 4th victory |
| 2000 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
2:00:52 | 8th victory |
| 1999 | Louise Sauvage | Australia |
1:42:23 | 3rd victory |
| 1998 | Louise Sauvage | Australia |
1:41:19 | 2nd victory |
| 1997 | Louise Sauvage | Australia |
1:54:28 | |
| 1996 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
1:52:56 | 7th victory |
| 1995 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
1:40:42 | 6th victory |
| 1994 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
1:34:22 | 5th victory, world record, course record |
| 1993 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
1:34:50 | 4th victory, world record, course record |
| 1992 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
1:36:52 | 3rd victory, world record, course record |
| 1991 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
1:42:42 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1990 | Jean Driscoll | United States (IL) |
1:43:17 | world record, course record |
| 1989 | Connie Hansen |  Denmark |
1:50:06 | world record, course record |
| 1988 | Candace Cable-Brookes | United States (CA) |
2:10:44 | 6th victory |
| 1987 | Candace Cable-Brookes | United States (CA) |
2:19:55 | 5th victory |
| 1986 | Candace Cable-Brookes | United States (CA) |
2:09:28 | 4th victory |
| 1985 | Candace Cable-Brookes | United States (CA) |
2:05:26 | 3rd victory, world record, course record |
| 1984 | Sherry Ramsey | United States (CO) |
2:56:51 | 2nd victory |
| 1983 | Sherry Ramsey | United States (CO) |
2:27:07 | |
| 1982 | Candace Cable-Brookes | United States (NV) |
2:12:43 | 2nd victory, world record, course record |
| 1981 | Candace Cable-Brookes | United States (NV) |
2:38:41 | course record |
| 1980 | Sharon Limpert | United States (MN) |
2:49:04 | world record, course record |
| 1979 | Sheryl Bair | United States (CA) |
3:27:56 | world record, course record |
| 1978 | Susan Shapiro | United States (CA) |
3:52:35 | |
| 1977 | Sharon Rahn | United States (IL) |
3:48:51 | course record |
Victories by nationality
| Country | Men's Open |
Women's Open |
Men's Wheelchair |
Women's Wheelchair |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States
|
44 | 15 | 12 | 23 | 94 |
| Kenya
|
16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Canada
|
16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
| Japan
|
8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Switzerland
|
0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| Finland
|
7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Germany
|
1 | 5[4] | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| South Africa
|
0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Australia
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Ethiopia
|
2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Russia
|
0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| France
|
0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| New Zealand
|
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| South Korea
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| United Kingdom
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Belgium
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Norway
|
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Colombia
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Denmark
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Greece
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Guatemala
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ireland
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Italy
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Poland
|
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Portugal
|
0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Sweden
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yugoslavia
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Notes
- ^ Due to American involvement in World War I, the 1918 race was run as a 10 man relay for teams from military bases across the United States. The winner was the team from Camp Devens, Massachusetts.
- ^ Another runner, Rosie Ruiz, was originally declared the winner of the 1980 marathon. When it was determined that Ruiz cheated, Gareau was named the winner.
- ^ a b c d e f The first 6 victories in the women's open division were unofficial until officially recognized in 1996.
- ^ This includes two victories by West German athletes during the Cold War.
References
- "History". Boston Marathon. Boston Athletic Association. 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-15.
- "Past Champions". Boston Marathon. Boston Athletic Association. 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-15.
- "Records". Boston Marathon. Boston Athletic Association. 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-15.