By Nick Butler

Record amounts of money was raised for charity at the 2014 edition of the Boston Marathon ©AFP/Getty ImagesA record total amounting to $38.4 million (£22.4 million/€28.2 million) has been raised for charity following the 2014 Boston Marathon, it has been announced.


This year's edition of the historic race, held annually since 1897, was particularly poignant given the deadly bombing at the finish line of the 2013 event, that left three dead and more than 260 people injured.

This provided an extra incentive to raise money, with the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) announcing this morning that participants running on behalf of non-profit organisations raised the record total.

In comparison, the 2013 event raised a total of $20 million (£15 million/€12 million).

The success of the 2014 Boston Marathon follows the explosion which tragically marred the 2013 event ©Getty ImagesThe success of the 2014 Boston Marathon follows the explosion which tragically marred the 2013 event ©Getty Images



More than 36,000 registrants competed at this years event, with approximately 30 per cent of them receiving their bib through a charity.

Runners at this year's marathon raised money for more than 300 organisations, most of whom gained entry through the BAA's official charity programme and a similar programme administered by the marathon's principal sponsor, John Hancock.

Many time qualifiers, along with deferred runners who were prevented from finishing the 2013 marathon by the finish area bombings, also raised money for charity this time around.

Special allocations to the One Fund Boston, the Martin W Richard Charitable Foundation, local hospitals, and other organisations and individuals that were directly affected by the bombings. 

This all comes at a time when Boston is one of four cities in the United States still in contention to mount a US bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Although support in Boston is seemingly not as unilaterally behind the bid as in the three other contenders - Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington DC - it will be hoped the obvious support for the marathon will illustrate both desire and ability for the city to get behind more sporting events in the future. 

A decision over which, if any, of the four cities is to mount a bid is expected to made early in 2015. 

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