125th Boston Marathon qualifier: 23,824 entries, 7 minutes 47 seconds under cutoff
The pandemic-shrunk 125th Boston Marathon ran in October at a reduced 20,000-runner field, and its 7 minutes 47 seconds cutoff was the deepest in race history at the time.
What made 2021 notable
The 125th Boston Marathon was the first ever run in autumn, moved from Patriots Day to October 11, 2021 as the pandemic forced a reduced 20,000-runner field, down from the usual 30,000 plus. With demand far outstripping the smaller field, the B.A.A. set a 7 minutes 47 seconds cutoff under each age-group standard, the deepest in race history at the time. Of 23,824 applications, 14,609 were accepted and 9,215 qualified runners were turned away. Benson Kipruto won the men's race in 2:09:51. Diana Kipyokei crossed first among the women but was later stripped of the title for an anti-doping violation, with Edna Kiplagat elevated to champion, her second Boston win after 2017.
Qualifier pool over time
Age-group qualifying times
View full age-group BQ standards
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 03:00:00 | 03:30:00 |
| 35-39 | 03:05:00 | 03:35:00 |
| 40-44 | 03:10:00 | 03:40:00 |
| 45-49 | 03:20:00 | 03:50:00 |
| 50-54 | 03:25:00 | 03:55:00 |
| 55-59 | 03:35:00 | 04:05:00 |
| 60-64 | 03:50:00 | 04:20:00 |
| 65-69 | 04:05:00 | 04:35:00 |
| 70-74 | 04:20:00 | 04:50:00 |
| 75-79 | 04:35:00 | 05:05:00 |
| 80+ | 04:50:00 | 05:20:00 |
Questions about the 2021 qualifier
What was the 2021 Boston Marathon qualifier cutoff?
7 minutes 47 seconds under each age-group standard, the deepest cutoff in Boston Marathon history at the time, driven by a pandemic-reduced 20,000-runner field.
How many qualifiers applied for the 125th Boston?
23,824 applications were received. The B.A.A. accepted 14,609 and turned away 9,215 qualified runners because of the reduced field size.
Why did the 2021 Boston Marathon run in October?
The race was moved off its traditional Patriots Day date to October 11, 2021 and capped at 20,000 entrants because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first autumn running in event history.
Who won the 2021 Boston Marathon?
Benson Kipruto won the men's race in 2:09:51. Diana Kipyokei finished first among the women but was later disqualified for an anti-doping violation, and Edna Kiplagat was elevated to champion, her second Boston title after 2017.