The wheelchair races at the 130th Boston Marathon on April 20 offer their own compelling narrative, with both 2025 champions — Switzerland's Marcel Hug and America's Susannah Scaroni — returning to defend their titles. Their presence means all four individual champions from 2025 (open and wheelchair, men's and women's) will be on the start line, a historic alignment that the Boston Athletic Association has highlighted as a first for the event.
Hug, widely regarded as the greatest wheelchair marathon racer of all time, brings a record that defies superlatives. The Swiss athlete, nicknamed the "Silver Bullet," has won Boston five times and holds course records across multiple World Marathon Majors. His combination of tactical intelligence, descending ability, and finishing speed makes him the heavy favourite on a course whose rolling terrain rewards technical mastery.
Scaroni's defence of her women's title carries particular emotional weight. The American has been the dominant force in women's wheelchair marathon racing in recent years, and a successful Boston defence would further cement her position as the face of the discipline in the United States. Her 2025 victory was a statement of superiority, and the field will need to produce something extraordinary to unseat her.
Wheelchair marathon racing occupies a unique position within the sport — a discipline where tactics, drafting, and descending skill matter as much as raw physical power. Boston's course, with its famous Newton hills and long downhill stretches, amplifies these factors and consistently produces some of the most exciting racing of the year. The wheelchair races start before the elite open fields and often deliver a dramatic preview of the day ahead, setting the tone for the thousands of runners who follow.