FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2018 Boston Marathon to Feature Ceremonial Military Relay
Sixteen members of U.S. Armed Forces to pass baton along course on
Patriots' Day
BOSTON - The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced a
commemorative military relay will be included in the 122nd running of the
Boston Marathon on April 16, 2018. A team of sixteen active and retired
military personnel -- representing five branches of the military and the
eight cities and towns of the Marathon course -- will pass a baton along
the race route in recognition of the B.A.A.'s Year of Service.
The 2018 military relay will commemorate the relay that kept the Boston
Marathon going a century ago. As a result of America's involvement in World
War I, the 1918 Boston Marathon was held as a military relay race, unlike
its traditional footrace format. Ten-man teams representing various
military branches ran from Ashland to Boston, passing batons along the
course. The relay served as a unifying moment for community and country,
and has not been replicated since. The 1918 relay format preserved the
continuity of the Boston Marathon, and today the race is the world's oldest
annual marathon.
This year, two runners will run in tandem through each town and into the
neighboring community, where they'll pass a baton to the next pair of
runners. Each pair has a connection to the town in which they are running.
Relay participants are listed in the accompanying chart below. The first
two participants will start at 9:40 a.m., after the Elite Women's start at
9:32 a.m., and before the Elite Men and Wave One starts at 10:00 a.m.
"Each edition of the Boston Marathon offers an opportunity to reflect on
milestones in the history of the marathon, and this year's centennial
celebration of the 1918 Military Relay presents a particularly moving
opportunity to do so once again," said B.A.A. CEO, Tom Grilk. "As the
nation deepened its involvement in World War I, and as resources here at
home were spread thin and priorities were rearranged, the people of Boston
still believed that the tradition of the marathon should be preserved as a
unifying event for the country and the region, as it is today."
The military relay is the culmination of the B.A.A.'s Year of Service
theme, which has been prominently featured leading to the 122nd Boston
Marathon. The Year of Service honors those who have served or are serving
country, community, and the B.A.A.'s mission of leading healthy lifestyles.
From military members to first responders, medical personnel and
volunteers, the Year of Service recognizes and thanks those who serve.
In addition to this year being the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Military
Relay, April 15 marks five years since the tragic acts and heroic response
on Boylston Street. The B.A.A. will pay homage to its dedicated team of
first responders and more than 9,000 volunteers who contribute to the event
each year.
Nearly 30,000 participants are registered for the 2018 Boston Marathon. The
Boston Marathon is the oldest continuously run marathon in the world,
spanning 122 years of history.
2018 BOSTON MARATHON MILITARY RELAY PARTICIPANTS
Name/Background Highlights Community Branch of Service
Christopher Tighe Hopkinton Navy
Served for 23 years; multiple tours including in Afghanistan
Nathan Moran Hopkinton Army
More than two years of service, including during Operation Enduring
Freedom (Horn of Africa)
Brenda Mancini Heller Ashland Army
Three years of Active Duty, five of Reserve; Medical Service Corp
Officer - Ambulance Platoon Leader/ Company Commander/ Battalion
Adjutant
Jeffrey Chunglo Ashland Navy
Served for 23 years; Hospital Corpsman; Operation Enduring Freedom
(Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom
Marc George Framingham Air Force
Five years of service; Air National Guard
Keith Moser Framingham Army
Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Pre-Gulf
Christopher Hampton Natick Marines
Five years of service; Crew Chief; served in Afghanistan; will be
passing baton to older brother, Benjamin, who will run Wellesley leg;
brothers currently serve on Natick Fire Department
Graham King Natick Army
A junior at the United States Military Academy at West Point
Benjamin Hampton Wellesley Marines
Five years of service, US Marines; will be receiving baton from younger
brother, Christopher Hampton, who will run Natick leg; brothers serve
together at Natick Fire Department
Bradley Moffitt Wellesley Army
Seven years of service; Security clearance, mechanic, officer, Reserves
Instructor; served in Kansas, Iraq, Djibouti, Kuwait, and Jordan
Steve Wightman Newton Army
Combat Medic, EMT; served in Vietnam, Operation Enduring Freedom
Laura Piscopo Newton Army
Six years of service; running to represent her grandfather, a veteran of
WWI during the original 1918 Boston Marathon Military Relay
Mark Johnson Brookline Army
National Guard and Reserve Colonel; served in Cold War, Global War on
Terrorism, Republic of Korea
Anne Lero Brookline Army
Eight years of service; Army Officer; has served Active Duty in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Liberia; served in Reserves in United Kingdom and Maryland
Dennis Magnasco Boston Army
Combat Medic, Infantry; served in Afghanistan, Germany, Texas, and
Missouri
Alexia Parks Boston Coast Guard
Has been serving since 2015; Counter Narcotic operations in Pacific,
Search and Rescue Coordination
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
122nd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 16, 2018. For more
information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
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