Sports Partnerships

John Hancock's Sports Partnerships benefit our businesses, employees, and our community partners. Our Sports Partnerships help promote our business by building the John Hancock brand, and creating platforms to build important business relationships.

John Hancock's Sports Partnerships range from storied and historic properties, such as the Boston Marathon and Boston Red Sox, to our more community-based partnerships, such as Best Buddies and the Pan-Mass Challenge.

2012 Boston Marathon Race Recap

Men's Open Race

Kenyan Wesley Korir, a permanent U.S. resident of Louisville, Kentucky, ran the smartest race of his life in winning the 116th Boston Marathon. Deftly handling blistering heat that reached a high of 85F, Wesley patiently stayed connected to the leaders of the fastest men's field ever assembled. Heading into the Newton hills, he resisted the surges of front-runners Mathew Kisorio, Geoffrey Mutai and Levy Matebo, and instead ran within himself and focused on strategy. Singing out loud and drinking from the hydration bottles he had decorated with flags of his wife's home country of Canada, Wesley found inspiration to pass first one heat-fatigued runner and then the next. He deliberately moved from sixth place at mile 20 to second at mile 24 to undisputed champion at the finish (2:12:40). Kenyans Levy Matebo and Bernard Kipyego and American Jason Hartmann finished second through fourth respectively.

Women's Open Race

Last year in the women's race, Kenyan Sharon Cherop ran in sync with Caroline Kilel and Desiree Davila until the final meters, but could not keep pace and was denied the win by six seconds and the runner-up spot by four seconds. This year, she used that experience to make amends. After running side by side with countrywoman Jemima Sumgong over the final miles, she put in a crushing surge at the home-stretch corner of Hereford and Boylston. Jemima was unable to respond and Sharon reached the tape first in 2:31:50, just two seconds ahead of her countrywoman. The close finish marked the fifth consecutive year the women's race has been decided by three seconds or less. Kenyan Georgina Rono finished third and was followed by Ethiopian Firehiwot Dado, the 2012 New York City champion.