Habtom Samuel from Eritrea achieved an impressive victory at the 2026 Boston Half Marathon, finishing with a record time of 59:49 on Sunday. This remarkable feat made him the first male runner to complete the race in under one hour.
Ethiopian runner Fentaye Belayneh also excelled, winning the women’s category and marking her third consecutive victory at the Boston Half Marathon, finishing in 1:09:14.
Samuel’s outstanding performance was rewarded with a $10,000 bonus for breaking the course record.
After reaching the 15 km point, Samuel surged ahead of the competition, which included 2023 champion Abel Kipchumba from Kenya and Andrea Kiptoo, who placed third in 2025.
“I knew when we were just crossing the 10 km mark, we were on for the course record. I saw there was a possibility. I knew the first 10 km was very flat and downhill, but the second half was the hardest part of the course. I said, ‘I’m going to fight for the course record.’ And I knew when we crossed, I knew I got the course record.”
Samuel remarked.
His final time of 59:49 surpassed the previous record of 1:00:34, held by two-time Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa since 2013, by 45 seconds.
Kiptoo finished in second place with a time of 1:01:03, while Kipchumba took third at 1:01:16. The top American finisher was Jack Aho, who crossed the finish line in sixth place with a time of 1:01:53.
Women’s Race
In the women’s competition, Belayneh made a decisive move in the final moments, narrowly edging out Kenyan Winfred Mbithe by just two seconds.
American runner Kassie Parker initially took the lead, while the following group maintained a steady pace. Parker reached the 5 km mark in 16:38 and the 10 km mark in 33:02. Meanwhile, Belayneh conserved her energy before launching her final sprint.
Sintayehu Lewetegn from Ethiopia secured third place with a time of 1:09:26.
“I come here because I know the event is great,” Belayneh expressed through an interpreter after her victory. “I love the atmosphere, and I’ve won twice before.”
Her personal best time is 1:04:49, achieved at the Houston Half Marathon in January 2026.
The highest-placing American in the women’s race was Sydney Vaught, who finished fifth with a time of 1:09:44.
Results
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
| 1 | Fentaye Belayneh | ETH | 1:09:14 |
| 2 | Winfred Mbithe | KEN | 1:09:16 |
| 3 | Sintayehu Lewetegn | ETH | 1:09:26 |
| 4 | Melat Kejeta | GER | 1:09:29 |
| 5 | Sydney Vaught | USA | 1:09:44 |
| 6 | Vibian Chepkirui | KEN | 1:09:49 |
| 7 | Megan Hasz-Sailor | USA | 1:09:53 |
| 8 | Mercy Cherono | KEN | 1:10:04 |
| 9 | Kassie Parker | USA | 1:11:10 |
| 10 | Zaida Ramos | CAN | 1:13:01 |
| 11 | Erin McDonald | USA | 1:13:37 |
| 12 | Madey Dickson | USA | 1:14:05 |
| 13 | Anne-Marie Comeau | CAN | 1:14:18 |
| 14 | Thalia Valdivia | PER | 1:14:22 |
| 15 | Ruby Krasnow | USA | 1:14:25 |
| 16 | Chloe Whiting | USA | 1:15:30 |
| 17 | Megan Connolly | USA | 1:17:42 |
| 18 | Jasmine Trott | GBR | 1:19:00 |
| 19 | Nina Usubyan | ARM | 1:19:24 |
| 20 | Alyssa Natario | USA | 1:19:02 |
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
| 1 | Habtom Samuel | ERI | 59:49 |
| 2 | Andrea Kiptoo | KEN | 1:01:03 |
| 3 | Abel Kipchumba | KEN | 1:01:16 |
| 4 | Mohammed El Youssfi | MAR | 1:01:29 |
| 5 | Amon Kemboi | KEN | 1:01:46 |
| 6 | Jack Aho | USA | 1:01:53 |
| 7 | Ethan Shuley | USA | 1:02:14 |
| 8 | Wesley Kiptoo | USA | 1:03:03 |
| 9 | James Mwaura | USA | 1:03:10 |
| 10 | Assaf Harari | ISR | 1:03:21 |
| 11 | James Quattlebaum | USA | 1:03:30 |
| 12 | Peter Walsdorf | USA | 1:03:37 |
| 13 | Sam Lawler | USA | 1:03:46 |
| 14 | William Amponsah | IND | 1:04:03 |
| 15 | Frank Lujan | PER | 1:05:02 |
| 16 | Nicholas Bendtsen | USA | 1:06:07 |
| 17 | Paul Arredondo | USA | 1:06:39 |
| 18 | Noah Stevenson | USA | 1:06:45 |
| 19 | Matt Lenehan | USA | 1:06:47 |
| 20 | Adam Quinn | USA | 1:07:18 |