FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2020 Boston Marathon® To Serve As U.S. Paralympic Team Selection Event
Eligible T45/T46 and T11/T12 Para Athletes to compete in Boston
for spots on Team USA for the 2020 Paralympic Games
BOSTON - The Boston Athletic Association and United States Olympic &
Paralympic Committee (USOPC) today announced that the 124th Boston Marathon
will serve as the 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team Selection Event for the
marathon distance. The top two U.S. men and women across the finish line
that meet the U.S. Paralympic Track & Field qualifying standards in select
ambulatory classifications will be nominated to the U.S. Paralympic team
for next summer's Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The 124th Boston
Marathon will be held on Monday, April 20, 2020, and will mark the 35th
consecutive year that John Hancock will serve as principal sponsor.
"The B.A.A. is honored to host the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials Marathon for
ambulatory Para athletes," said Marla Runyan, two-time U.S. Olympian and
Paralympian and Para Athlete Manager for the B.A.A. "The Boston Marathon
has long been a race where Para athletes come to compete and showcase their
athletic excellence. The road to the Tokyo Paralympic Games comes through
Boston, and we couldn't be more proud."
Athletes with Para athletics classifications T45/T46 (arm impairment) and
T11/T12 (vision impairment) will be eligible for spots on Team USA,
provided that they meet the National Team A Standard or Marathon Minimum
Event Standard as put forth by the USOPC. U.S. athletes must have their
World Para Athletics license and classification to be eligible for
selection to the U.S. Paralympic Team by the USOPC.
"We are very excited for the Boston Marathon to serve as our U.S.
Paralympic Team Trials for our ambulatory marathon athletes," said Julie
Dussliere, chief of Paralympic sport of the United States Olympic &
Paralympic Committee. "With Boston's commitment to Para athletes and
storied history with the marathon, we know our athletes will have a
world-class experience as they look to punch their tickets to Tokyo."
The selection event element provides added excitement to the launch of the
Boston Marathon's Para Athletics Divisions and Adaptive Programs at the
2020 race. For the first time in Boston Marathon history, prize money and
awards will be presented to classified ambulatory Para athletes which
includes competitors with vision impairment (T11, T12, T13); lower limb
impairment (prosthesis T61-T64); and upper limb impairment (T45/T46). The
total prize purse for the Para Athletics Division for ambulatory athletes
is $16,500 to be distributed equally among the top 3 male and female
finishers in each classification category.
The 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials for wheelchair athletes occurred
earlier this year at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, where Daniel
Romanchuk, Tatyana McFadden, and Susannah Scaroni earned automatic spots on
Team USA. All three will compete in the 2020 Boston Marathon.
More details regarding the 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials can be found
through USOPC.org.
The 124th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 20, 2020 and will
mark the 35th consecutive year that John Hancock will serve as principal
sponsor. Held annually since 1897, the Boston Marathon is the oldest
consecutively run marathon in the world. A field of 31,500 participants
will take part in the 124th running of the Boston Marathon.
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.
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 athletes participate in B.A.A. events each
year. The 124th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 20, 2020. For
more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
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