Three runners help collapsed marathoner finish Boston Marathon 2026
Consensus Summary
During the 2026 Boston Marathon, Ajay Haridasse, a 21-year-old student from Massachusetts, collapsed about 300 metres from the finish line after struggling near the 26-mile mark. Two runners, Aaron Beggs from Northern Ireland and Robson De Oliveira from Brazil, stopped to help him. Beggs, who was also exhausted, pulled Haridasse to his feet, while De Oliveira lifted him from behind, and together they carried him across the line. Their combined effort allowed Haridasse to qualify for next year’s race, with all three finishing within seconds of each other. The moment went viral, earning widespread praise for its selfless sportsmanship. Both helpers reflected on the experience, emphasizing teamwork and the marathon’s supportive spirit, while Haridasse called it the greatest experience of his life and plans to return in 2027.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Ajay Haridasse collapsed about 300 metres from the Boston Marathon finish line on 2026-04-22 (Monday).
- Aaron Beggs (Northern Ireland, 40 years old) and Robson De Oliveira (Brazil, 36 years old) helped Haridasse cross the finish line.
- Haridasse, a 21-year-old Massachusetts native and Northeastern University student, qualified for the 2027 Boston Marathon with their assistance.
- Beggs and De Oliveira’s finishing times were 2:44:36 and 2:44:26, respectively, qualifying them for next year’s race.
- Video of the moment went viral, with over 2 million likes on TikTok and 8,000+ reposts on a joint Instagram post.
- Beggs described the moment as 'nice to be nice' and said, 'Three strangers, three different countries, and we’ll have a story for the rest of our lives.'
- De Oliveira called the act a 'split-second decision' and said, 'Two are stronger than one.'
- The Boston Marathon was the 130th edition, held on Boylston Street.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Beggs mentioned he was struggling earlier in the race but drew strength from the supportive crowd.
- Beggs recalled shaking hands with a fellow runner wearing his father’s name on his shirt, who cheered him on.
- Beggs plans to run the Belfast City Marathon on 2026-05-03 and eyes the 2027 London Marathon.
- Beggs said, 'If I had to go farther, I would have. It’s fight or flight, and I decided to fight.'
- The Boston Athletic Association/MarathonFoto provided the photo of the moment (AP Photo: Gustavo E. Gargallo).
- Haridasse told the Boston Herald he was 'getting ready to crawl' to the finish line after falling for a fourth time.
- De Oliveira was taken to a medical tent after crossing the finish line due to exhaustion.
- De Oliveira wrote on Instagram, 'God was so generous to us that [Beggs] stopped, and I knew I could help.'
- The North Down Athletic Club praised Beggs as a 'superstar' with a time of 2:44:36.
- Haridasse called the marathon 'the greatest experience ever' and plans to return in 2027.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC article states Beggs was 40 years old, while the Guardian does not specify his age but describes him as a '40-year-old from Northern Ireland' (implied but not explicitly stated in ABC).
- The ABC article mentions Beggs was running the Boston Marathon for the first time, while the Guardian does not explicitly state this but implies it through context.
- The Guardian specifies Haridasse is from Wakefield, Massachusetts, while ABC only states he is a Massachusetts native and Northeastern University student.
Source Articles
'Nice to be nice': Duo help collapsed runner finish Boston Marathon
Aaron Beggs, who helped fellow runner Ajay Haridasse across the Boston Marathon finish line, says "the natural instinct was just to go and pick him up".
‘Two are stronger than one’: Boston Marathon duo praised for helping struggling runner cross finish line
Ajay Haridasse needed assistance at 26-mile mark Aaron Beggs and Robson De Oliveira came to aid Beggs: ‘We’re just runners helping each other’ A pair of Boston Marathon runners who teamed up to help a fellow athlete across the race’s finish line have been praised for their “beautiful moment” of sportsmanship. Ajay Haridasse, a 21-year-old university student from Wakefield, Massachusetts, found himself stumbling after passing the 26-mile mark in Monday’s race. After falling for a fourth time, he