Over 35,000 participants hit the pavement for 2024 Honolulu Marathon

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Over 35,000 participants hit the pavement for the 52nd Honolulu Marathon this weekend, making it a record breaking year with the highest ever participation numbers.

Organizers said registration was up 25% from a year ago.

Tens of thousands of runners took off for the 26.2-mile course Sunday morning at Ala Moana Boulevard with their eyes on the finish line, but two athletes in particular were focused on the gold.

WATCH: 2024 Honolulu Marathon

Yamane Haileselassie of Eritrea was the first male runner to cross the finish line in just 2 hours, 11 minutes and 59 seconds. Not too far behind was Reuben Kiprop Kerio, who placed second.

It was a tight race for the top female finisher between Sandrafelis Tuei and Cynthia Limo toward the tail end of the course, but Limo pulled ahead within the last couple miles.

Cynthia Limo of Kenya finished with a race time of 2 hours, 31 minutes and 13 seconds.

The first male finisher for the wheelchair race was Kota Hokinoue of Japan, and Wakako Tsuchida was the first female finisher.

The Kalakaua Merrie Mile began at 7 a.m. on Saturday.

On Sunday, the 26.2-mile course and “Start to Park 10K” race kicked off at 5 a.m. on Ala Moana Boulevard with a firework show.

The course went through downtown Honolulu, past Iolani Palace and the Christmas lights, through Waikiki and climbed up and around Diamond Head, before heading out through Kahala and out to Hawaii Kai. Turning back after Hawaii Kai toward Kahala and Honolulu, the course passed Diamond Head again on the ocean side before finishing in Kapiolani Park.