The 2025 Boston Marathon saw an impressive 28,845 runners cross the starting line in Hopkinton, but 2,825 registered participants were notably absent.
Despite border security concerns, this year’s 8.9% no-show rate matched past trends among the 31,670 registered runners.
Runners from 128 countries competed in this year’s marathon, demonstrating the event’s global appeal. The United States led with 18,047 finishers, followed by Canada (1,586) and the United Kingdom (1,230). Notably, Bermuda—the smallest nation represented, had four runners complete the race despite its population of just 64,555. The steady international turnout suggests that logistical or political concerns did not significantly deter participants.
This year’s race continued to reflect growing diversity in marathon running. Of the finishers, 16,103 were men, 12,210 were women, and 71 competed in the nonbinary category—a sign of the sport’s increasing inclusivity. The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) has made strides in recent years to ensure broader representation.
Massachusetts, as expected, had the highest number of finishers (4,292), followed by California (1,834) and New York (1,493). North Dakota had the fewest, with just 15 runners completing the race. Impressively, nine states achieved a 100% completion rate: Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Nevada, North Dakota, and Oklahoma.
While thousands of runners celebrated personal achievements, elite athletes delivered historic performances. Sharon Lokedi stunned the field by winning the women’s race in a course-record 2:17:22, narrowly defeating defending champion Hellen Obiri in a thrilling final-mile duel. On the men’s side, John Korir—younger brother of 2012 winner Wesley Korir—claimed victory in 2:04:45, continuing his family’s legacy in the sport.
No-shows are common in major marathons due to injuries, travel issues, or last-minute personal conflicts. The 2025 Boston Marathon’s attrition rate (8.9%) closely mirrored 2024’s (8.95%) and was actually lower than 2023’s (9.6%). While some speculated that stricter U.S. immigration policies might reduce international participation, the data suggests otherwise. Instead, the consistency in no-shows indicates that logistical challenges, common in large-scale events, remain the primary factor.