Swampscott 13 Shine at 2026 Boston Marathon

The current image has no alternative text. The file name is: IMG_0872.jpg — Hannah Zafrani sits with her medal. || Courtesy Photo

Of over 30,000 people who ran and crossed the finish line of the 2026 Boston Marathon on Monday, 13 call Swampscott home.

None crossed the finish line quicker than Stephen Bennett, who completed the 26.2-mile race in 2 hours and 35 minutes, good for a 710th place finish. Bennett finished just 34 minutes after Kenyan John Korir, who won the marathon with a time of just over 2 hours and 1 minute. Korir set the record for the fastest Boston Marathon finish and the fifth fastest marathon ever run anywhere.

Not far behind Bennett was Colin Smith, who finished just 30 seconds later with a time of 2 hours and 36 minutes.

The first Swampscott woman to cross the finish line was Badia Eskandar with a time of 3 hours and 47 minutes. It was Eskandar’s eighth time running the Boston Marathon and her 88th marathon overall. She said that a tailwind helped push runners along the course.

Badia Eskandar wore a banana hat to entertain spectators || Courtesy Photo

“The weather was awesome,” said Eskandar. “Boston always nails it with logistics. It’s unbelievable how organized they are.”

When it comes to marathons, Eskandar said that Boston is the cream of the crop.

“I don’t get choked up when I finish, unless it’s Boston,” she said. “There’s something about the spectators. They are with you the whole course, jumping up and down and cheering. It’s the best marathon in the world as far as I’m concerned. We’re very lucky to have it in our backyard.”

The rest of Swampscott’s runners and their finishing times are as follows:

Ethan Cadorette, 2:42:55
Carl Dooley, 2:56:39
Trevor Henry, 2:57:19
Jaime Owens, 3:44:15
Katherine Hewigg, 4:09:25
Jordan Waters; 4:20:15.
Kevin Craig, 4:54:27
Hannah Zafrani, 4:54:57
Alden Freddo, 5:10:06
Elizabeth Moran, 6:18:11

Another participant was Dan Koh, a Democratic candidate for the 6th Congressional District of Massachusetts seat. Many runners may have relaxed or sat down after running 26.2 miles, but Koh stayed on his feet, knocking doors of potential voters.

“There are no days off in this campaign,” Koh said. “The Boston Marathon holds some of my happiest memories. It has also instilled in me grit, resilience and fortitude, teaching me to never back down from a tough challenge.”