FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Joan Benoit Samuelson To Run 2019 Boston Marathon
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of her 1979 victory,
Samuelson returns to race from Hopkinton to Boston
BOSTON - The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that
two-time Boston Marathon champion and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit
Samuelson will run this year's Boston Marathon. The 2019 Boston Marathon
will be run on Monday, April 15, Patriots' Day and One Boston Day in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Samuelson will once again toe the line in Hopkinton, four decades after the
then-21-year-old Bowdoin College student set a national and course record
at the 83rd Boston Marathon. Crossing the finish line in 2:35:15 clad in
her college uniform and a Red Sox cap, she captured the hearts of New
Englanders en route to her memorable win.
"My goal is to to run within 40 minutes of my time 40 years ago, which
would be sub-3:15:35," said the Maine native. "I might as well celebrate
during an anniversary year, while I'm still able!"
The 1979 win may have been her first Boston victory, but Samuelson's
leadership in distance running and the women's running community extended
far beyond that first finish line. In addition to her 1979 victory,
Samuelson won the 1983 Boston Marathon in a then-world record of 2:22:43, a
time that still ranks 13th on the all-time Boston list. At the 1984 Olympic
Games in Los Angeles one year later, Samuelson won the inaugural Women's
Olympic Marathon, tipping her white painter's cap to the crowd as she
secured the gold medal in 2:24:52.
"We are delighted to have Joan Benoit Samuelson return to the roads leading
to Boston in celebration of the 40th anniversary of her 1979 win," said Tom
Grilk, B.A.A. Chief Executive Officer. "Joanie's impact on American
running, the Boston Marathon, and women's running in general has been
instrumental, and has inspired thousands of Boston Marathoners. We look
forward to her crossing the finish line again on April 15."
Samuelson's last Boston Marathon came in 2015, when she finished in
2:54:03. Samuelson won the Veterans (50-59) division at the 2011, 2013, and
2014 Boston Marathons, setting a Veteran's record of 2:50:29 in 2013.
Samuelson will join 16 other Boston Marathon champions returning to run
this year's race (10 open division champions including Samuelson, and seven
wheelchair division winners). Included among the John Hancock Elite Athlete
Team are defending champions Desiree Linden and Yuki Kawauchi, while
Tatyana McFadden and Marcel Hug return to front the wheelchair division.
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
123rd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 15, 2019. For more
information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
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