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Boston Marathon Boosts Prize Money for 2008

Posted April 15th, 2008 at 4:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Winning the Boston Marathon just got 50% sweeter.

At next Monday’s 112th running of America’s oldest marathon, the male and female winners will receive $150,000, a hefty boost over last year’s $100,000 payment. Thanks to the sponsorship of John Hancock Financial, the Boston champions will now receive the largest prize money check of the five commercial events of the World Marathon Majors.

“For more than 20 years, John Hancock has partnered with the B.A.A. to ensure that the Boston Marathon holds its status as one of the elite marathons in the world,” said Guy Morse, B.A.A. Executive Director through a media release. “With more than $11 million in prize money awarded since 1986, John Hancock’s commitment to the Boston Marathon and the sport has been unwavering.”

Moreover, the entire prize purse will be fattened by 38% to an event record $796,000.

Comparing athlete compensation from one marathon to the next is difficult because athletes may also receive significant appearance fees, and some events offer bonuses for various records and fast times. Amongst all marathons in the world, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon offers the largest winner’s check at $250,000. Within the World Marathon Majors (Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York), New York wrote the largest winner’s check in 2007, $130,000 plus a Toyota Prius worth about $23,000, a payday comparable to Boston’s. In Chicago organizers paid $125,000 to their 2007 winners, while Berlin paid 50,000 Euros (USD 79,000). The winner of last Sunday’s Flora London Marathon received $55,000 in prize money, the same as last year.

Boston does not offer time bonuses, except for course records, while the other four World Marathon Majors offer significant time bonuses. For instance, Martin Lel earned $75,000 in course record and time bonuses at London last Sunday on top of his prize money, and Haile Gebrselassie picked-up an additional 80,000 Euros (USD 126,400) when he broke the world record at the real,- Berlin Marathon last year.

The entire revised Boston Marathon prize money structure, equal for men and women, is as follows:

OPEN -
1. $150,000
2. $75,000
3. $40,000
4. $25,000
5. $15,000
6. $12,000
7. $9,000
8. $7,400
9. $5,700
10. $4,200
11. $2,600
12. $2,100
13. $1,800
14. $1,700
15. $1,500

MASTERS (40+) -
1. $10,000
2. $5,000
3. $2,500
4. $1,500
5. $1,000

WHEELCHAIR -
1. $15,000
2. $5,000
3. $2,500
4. $1,500
5. $1,000

For more news, analysis, interviews, videos, and results from the 2008 Boston Marathon and USA Olympic Women’s Marathon Trials, please visit:

http://boston.thefinalsprint.com/