By Joshua Otieno | April 20, 2026
BOSTON, USA — Kenya’s John Korir delivered a historic performance at the Boston Marathon, smashing the long-standing course record to secure back-to-back titles.
Korir crossed the finish line in a remarkable 2:01:52, slicing more than a minute off the previous record of 2:03:02 set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011. The victory cements his place among marathon greats and marks his second consecutive triumph in Boston.
In doing so, Korir joins his brother Wesley Korir, the 2012 champion, to become the only siblings in history to have won the prestigious race.
Korir executed a decisive race strategy, breaking away from the lead pack at the iconic Heartbreak Hill before running the final stretch solo in a dominant display of endurance and pace.
“You have a dream of a lifetime and all of a sudden it comes true,” Korir said after the race, moments before receiving his second olive wreath.
On the women’s side, Sharon Lokedi successfully defended her title, leading a clean sweep for Kenya in the top four positions. Lokedi clocked 2:18:51, pulling away late to assert her dominance once again on the global stage.
She was followed by fellow Kenyans Loice Chemnung and Mary Ngugi-Cooper, who finished second and third respectively, underlining Kenya’s continued supremacy in long-distance running.
In the men’s race, Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu claimed second place in 2:02:47, while Kenya’s Benson Kipruto completed the podium in 2:02:50.
The event also featured standout performances from American runners, with Zouhair Talbi and Jess McClain finishing fifth in their respective categories and setting new national course benchmarks for the Boston race.
In the wheelchair divisions, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug secured his ninth Boston title, while Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper claimed victory in the women’s race.
Korir and Lokedi each take home $150,000 for their wins, with Korir earning an additional $50,000 bonus for breaking the course record—capping off a historic day for Kenyan athletics on one of the world’s biggest stages
