2023 Boston Marathon Will Include Non-Binary Athletes

For the first time, participants in the Boston Marathon are allowed to enter as non-binary athletes, presumably in a division of their own separate from the male and female divisions.

The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) said it is "currently working on expanding opportunities for non-binary athletes at our events, including the upcoming 2023 Boston Marathon."

"While we do not currently have qualifying standards for non-binary athletes, we are working on ways non-binary participants are accepted into the event," said a statement on the BAA website.

Fox News Sports Editor Ryan Gaydos reported that "the Philadelphia Distance Run was the first large race in the U.S. to establish a non-binary division and offer equal prize money" last year.

Whether BAA establishes a new division for non-binary runners and pays prizes equal to those in the traditional divisions must still be determined.

"With this being our first year, we do not yet have enough data to establish non-binary qualifying times," the BAA statement read, noting the organization will use the qualifying times for the various age groups in the two existing divisions.

"As we prepare for future races, participants can expect non-binary times to be updated accordingly. We view this first year as an opportunity to learn and grow together," the statement concluded.

The Boston Athletic Association is closing out runner registration for next year's event this week. The qualifying window for the 128th Boston Marathon, scheduled to take place on April 15, 2024, began on September 1, 2022.

The 127th running of the Boston Marathon takes place on Monday, April 17, 2023. A field of about 30,000 runners is expected to participate in the event.