British long-distance runner Calli Hauger-Thackery delivered an inspiring performance after completing the Boston Marathon while 22 weeks pregnant.
The 33-year-old Olympian crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 43 minutes, more than 20 minutes slower than her sixth‑place finish last year (2:22:38). Yet she called this year’s run “one of the most meaningful moments of my career.”
“I’m grateful that I got through that today,” Hauger‑Thackery told BBC Sport after the race. “26.2 miles is no easy feat, and to do it this far into pregnancy, I’m super grateful.”
The race began with unexpected chaos. Just five miles in, she darted into a medical tent. “I genuinely couldn’t even pick up my right leg properly. I was dragging it,” she said. After treatment, she continued to need help again at mile 11.
On top of that, pregnancy meant two unscheduled bathroom stops before the halfway mark. “As you do when you’re pregnant, you need them more than ever,” she explained.
Despite that brutal start, the second half transformed into something almost magical. “The second half felt flawless, like I was in tune with my body. I felt a million dollars,” she said. “There were many times before halfway, I didn’t think I was going to finish.”
She finished standing, smiling, and carrying a story not about speed but about determination, resilience, and listening to her body under extraordinary circumstances. For Hauger‑Thackery, that slower time meant more than any medal.
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