PUMA’s Project3 participants shaved a total of 1hour, 51minutes and 46seconds off their personal records at the Boston Marathon, and will take home a combined $54,000 in prize money as part of the brand’s trailblazing running programme.
Debuting the Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3, a total of 90 runners from countries including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, UK, Ireland, Sweden, China, South Africa and Indonesia, toed the line at the world’s most prestigious running race, and were rewarded with a sensational number of new PRs.
Of the 90 runners competing, 30 beat their previous records, with 15 smashing their records by over three minutes, making them eligible for the mouthwatering $3,000 cash prize.
The fastest male, Joseph Whalen (2:12:16) finished in 20th place overall and knocked 1minute 23seconds off his PR, while Kylee Raftis (2:34:41) finished as the fastest female and took an incredible 4minutes 4seconds off her previous best. Manuel Diaz Callejero (02:33:35) smashed his previous record by a mindblowing 11minutes and 41seconds.
Other noteable wins came in the men’s open division where PUMA Project3 runners finished in first and second place, as well as taking home first in the men’s masters division. In total, three Project3 participants finished in the men’s top 25.
Celebrating his win back at The High Point, Joseph Whalen said: “I was so happy to make it across the line as the top male. The Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 are amazing, they were super responsive; great on the ups and even better on the downs.“
Kylee Raftis, who was racing at Boston for the third time, said: “I couldn’t be happier. I was aiming to run sub 2:35 and I excecuted my race plan perfectly. Coming onto Boylston Street felt surreal, and once I saw 2:34 on the clock I was ecstatic.”
In January, PUMA launched Project3; a first of its kind global running programme that offered participants of the 2025 Boston and London Marathons the opportunity to experience life as a professional athlete and trial the Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3, with the chance to bank huge performance-based cash prizes.
The programme forms part of PUMA’s brand elevation strategy to strengthen its presence globally and celebrate the latest brand campaign, “Go Wild”.
There were also record highs for PUMA’s elite runners, with Annie Frisbie (2:23:21) obliterating her previous PR by 2minutes and 57seconds, and Rory Linkletter (2:07:02) who finished 6th overall and shaved 59 seconds off his previous best time.
With a host of records broken in Boston, all eyes now turn to London, where another 96 Project3 runners will attempt to achieve a similar feat of athleticism in the revolutionary Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3.
Having exclusivley launched at the Boston Marathon, a limited drop of Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 will go live at PUMA.com, PUMA V&A Waterfront and PUMA Sandton from 4 May 2025.