We got our World Marathon Majors Six Stars Medal in Boston, on 15th of April 2024. It twas there that we completed the Boston Marathon and became “Six Star Finishers”!
Read below what we had to do prior to the race and upon completion to get the coveted Six Stars Medal. Which, by the way… is quite heavy!
And here‘s the 2025 update with a new major – Sydney!! -, but, as of 2025, not a new medal…
Sydney’s elevation to Major status marks a significant expansion in the Abbott WMM lineup.
Runners can still earn the Six-Star Medal, while the Nine-Star version will debut once all candidate races have joined—most likely in 2027 or shortly thereafter
Registering to receive your Six Stars Medal 🏅
- You have to register a profile on the official website.
- Once the profile is created, you must search and record the results of the 5 completed Majors.
If you do not find any of the results, you will have to send an email to results@wmmajors.com and send them the link with the corresponding result.
- When the 5 results are loaded in the profile, it will be necessary to contact the Organization by email at stars@wmmajors.com to inform them that at the next Marathon you wish to receive your “Six Stars Finisher” medal.
In some cases the BIB number that will be requested from you will not be assigned until the BIB receipt is generated, (usually about 15 days before the Marathon), but you can upload the registration receipt that you have received in your emails.
6th Marathon Expo 🏅
These are the instructions for Boston, but there are very similar to any other World Marathon Major:
During the Expo, you need to get a sticker at the Abbott World Marathon Majors booth. If you do not have our QR code sticker on race day, you will not receive your medal!
So after picking up our race kits, we made sure to pass by the Abbott World Marathon Majors where they put the QR sticker on our BIBs. We also had the chance to take a picture in front of the medal!
Inside the bag, there was “a surprise” to wear on our backs. It was optional but a fun way to get some extra encouragement out on course!
We knew what this was, as we had seen it during our Tokyo Marathon!
Race Day Instructions 🏃♀️
In Boston, after crossing the finish line, we were directed down Boylston Street. Once we received our Boston Marathon race medals, we needed to be on the lookout for the AbbottWMM tent. And we were!
This is the same for any race: You need to go to the blue AbbottWMM tents which are always located after you receive the race medal. In Boston, this was located in the middle of the street.
Important to note that, if you do not complete the entire race course within the period of time official race results are recorded (this differs per Marathon: It is 6 hours from the time the last official starter crosses the start line for Boston and 7h for Tokyo, for instance), you will NOT be recorded in the official race results and unfortunately, will NOT be eligible to receive a Six Star medal.
A new Major, a new challenge- Sydney!!!
As of 2025, there is a 7th Marathon Major – Sydney!
When I logged into my Abbott World Marathon Majors account, here’s how it looked like:
Sydney was officially recognized as the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major on November 3, 2024, at the New York City Marathon—making history as the first addition since Tokyo in 2013.
Following a rigorous multi-year candidacy process and record-breaking participation (20,272 finishers in 2024), it secured its place for the August 31, 2025 event….
Which we are planning to run!!! Sydney: HERE WE GO.
🏅 Why Sydney Became a Major
Sydney’s successful bid was based on several key factors:
- Completion of two consecutive evaluation years (2023 & 2024) meeting Abbott WMM standards.
- A large and growing field—from 5,300 participants in 2022 to over 20,000 in 2024—demonstrating strong runner engagement.
- A world-class city route, finishing at the Sydney Opera House and crossing the Harbour Bridge, supported by government investment and organizational infrastructure.
🧭 Majors as of June 2025
As of June 2025, the six established World Marathon Majors are:
With Sydney joining the lineup, there are now 7 active Majors, pending the addition of two more — Cape Town and Shanghai — which are currently in candidacy for potential inclusion in 2026 and 2027.
🥇 Medal Status: 6-Star and 9-Star Paths
- The traditional Six-Star Medal, awarded for completing the original six Majors, will remain unchanged.
- A new Nine-Star Medal will be introduced once Cape Town and Shanghai also become full Majors—expected no earlier than after 2027.
- No Seven-Star Medal will be issued; instead, runners aiming for seven can collect coin sets or displays.