Edna Kiplagat, Buzunesh Deba to finally receive millions in compensation from Boston Marathon organisers

and Buzunesh Deba are just a few months away from adding millions to their wealth following the recent update from the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), the organisers of the

The organisers announced that they will be out to compensate athletes affected by the doping menace regarding prize money starting January 2025. They announced that they would give voluntary payments to athletes who were affected by and their results had to be re-ranked.

They will date back to 1986, the first year when prize money was introduced. Edna Kiplagat and Buzunesh Deba were elevated to first place after Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo (2014) and (2021) were disqualified for doping.

Junelle Bromfield has credited her late mother for inspiring her athletics journey and noted that she was the only person who would attend her track meets faithfully.

Deba andhad both been awarded the prize money for second-place finishers but have since been recognised as winners and will need the compensation. For Deba, she even broke the course record, meaning she will be added a bonus on top of $25,000.

As confirmed by the , Deba will be issued the prize money in January. This will be on top of the money she was awarded by Philadelphia businessman Doug Guyer earlier this year. He sent Deba a USD $75,000 cheque.

“While the multi-step process to reclaim and redistribute prize money has been complex and time consuming for all involved, we have worked – and continue to work—diligently towards a resolution that supports clean athletes while still holding all athletes accountable,” Jack Fleming, President and CEO of the B.A.A said in a press release.

“Athletes will receive the prize money they rightfully earned at our races with these payments. We are supporting athletes who competed in our events, and who believed they would be rewarded for their top finishing place. We are doing what we can to ensure fair competition among athletes, and we will always seek to play host to the fairest of playing fields at all of our events.”

The total payments to all the who suffered will amount to $300,000 and the athletes who are guilty of doping offences will be ineligible for compensation.

The organisers also emphasised the need to collaborate with the (AIU), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the US (USADA) to ensure athletes compete in a fair way.

Bolt has recounted feeling nervous before his historic 2008 Olympics despite breaking the 100m world record months earlier.