Eliud Kipchoge, Marcel Hug, Tatyana McFadden Named Abbott World Marathon Majors Series X Champions

April 17, 2017 (BOSTON) -- Abbott World Marathon Majors has named as Series X champions Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), Marcel Hug (SUI) and Tatyana McFadden (USA).

The athletes won the titles based on their performances, over the past 12 months, in the world’s most renowned races that comprise the Abbott World Marathon Majors – the Tokyo,Boston, Virgin Money London, BWM Berlin, Bank of America Chicago, and TCS New York City Marathons – as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Marathons.

“The world’s greatest marathon runners compete to win the Abbott World Marathon Majors,” said Tim Hadzima, Abbott World Marathon Majors general manager. “The skills and speed of Eliud, Marcel and Tatyana are unmatched, and evident in the incredible performances they delivered this year in Series X.”

"We are inspired by these amazing athletes determined to cross the finish line first and prove what is truly possible through good health," said Chris Miller, divisional vice president, global brand strategy and innovation, Abbott. 

"We are pleased to partner with the Abbott World Marathon Majors and celebrate all the participants who have worked so hard and achieved so much over the last year, including the men and women who competed in the first-ever AbbottWMM wheelchair series."

Hadzima joined Miller, along with Tad Hayano, Tokyo Marathon race director; Tom Grilk, Boston Athletic Association CEO; Carey Pinkowksi, Bank of America Chicago Marathon executive race director; and Peter Ciaccia, New York Road Runners president, events and TCS New York City Marathon race director at an awards ceremony today in Boston to honor the Series X champions.

AbbottWMM will name a Series X women’s champion once the doping investigation, and any potential appeal process, is complete for Jemima Sumgong, who currently leads the Series X standings. Any athlete who has been found guilty of any anti-doping rules enforced by the IAAF, WADA, National Federations or any of the individual AbbottWMM races is not eligible to win an AbbottWMM Series title.

Abbott World Marathon Majors Series X Champions

Decisive victories at the 2016 London and Olympic Marathons propelled Kipchoge to the top of the Series X leaderboard with 50 points, earning him a $500,000 (USD) prize and a second AbbottWMM Series win. Kipchoge’s London finish, seconds away from the world record, set a new record for the course and confirmed him as one of the world’s greatest marathoners.

In the inaugural AbbottWMM Wheelchair Series, Hug and McFadden dominated throughout the one-year cycle of races, edging out competitors in combative finishes and notching an astonishing amount of wins to earn them each the $50,000 (USD) prize. Hug was first through the tape at the 2017 Boston and 2016 London, Paralympic, Berlin and Chicago Marathons to secure 125 points. McFadden continued her podium reign with first-place finishes at the 2016 Boston, London, Chicago and New York City Marathons, and a second place performance at the 2016 Paralympic Marathon.

“Marcel and Tatyana are remarkable,” Hadzima said. “Their leadership helps AbbottWMM continue to work to elevate the achievements of the para athlete community.”

In accordance with AbbottWMM industry-leading anti-doping efforts, champions’ prize money will be distributed over a five-year period. This development complements the organization’s work with the IAAF to build and fund one of the largest targeted testing pool of athletes, with an aim of requiring more than 150 individuals to submit to out-of- competition testing a minimum of six times a year.

How the Abbott World Marathon Majors Works

Athletes earn the following points by placing among the top five in qualifying races during a one-year series:

• 1st place: 25 points

• 2nd place: 16 points

• 3rd place: 9 points

• 4th place: 4 points

• 5th place: 1 point

The champions are the male and female athletes who score the most points during the one-year scoring period. Points from a maximum of two races are scored; in the wheelchair series, points from a maximum of five races are scored. An athlete must start in at least two races over the cycle to be eligible.

AbbottWMM Series X included the following races:

• April 18, 2016 Boston Marathon

• April 24, 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon

• August 21, 2016 Olympic Marathon

• September 18, 2016 Paralympic Marathon

• September 26, 2016 BMW BERLIN MARATHON

• October 9, 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

• November 6, 2016 TCS New York City Marathon

• February 26, 2017 Tokyo Marathon

• April 17, 2017 Boston Marathon