Kenyans John Korir, Sharon Lokedi dazzle to retain Boston Marathon titles

Defending champions Sharon Lokedi and John Korir delivered commanding performances to retain their crowns at the Boston Marathon on Monday, 20 April, the latter storming to victory in a course record time of 2:01:52.

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His run not only secured back-to-back titles but also marked a historic feat, becoming one of the few athletes to successfully defend the title in the race’s 130-year history.

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Korir’s unofficial winning time of 2:01:52 shattered the long-standing course record of 2:03:02 set by fellow Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai in 2011, a race that, like this year’s edition, was aided by favourable tailwind conditions.

Having stayed within a tightly packed lead group for much of the race, Korir made his decisive move after the two-thirds mark. He surged to the front around the 20th mile and never looked back, gradually stretching his lead with a ruthless solo run over the final stages.

By the 39th kilometre, he was already clear of the field, with compatriot Benson Kipruto leading the chase. As the race entered its closing stretch, Korir remained unchallenged, feeding off the energy of the crowds lining the course.

With 2.5 kilometres to go, there was still no response from his rivals. He powered up the final climb in control, and with just 800 meters remaining, even the world record briefly came into sight.

The late Kelvin Kiptum holds the official marathon world record of 2:00:35, set at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. While Korir ultimately fell short of that mark, his performance emphatically rewrote the Boston course record books.

He crossed the finish line dominantly, underlining his growing stature among the world’s elite marathoners.

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Behind him, a gripping battle for second place unfolded between Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu and Kipruto. Simbu produced a trademark finishing sprint to secure second, finishing 55 seconds behind Korir, while Kipruto completed the podium just three seconds later.

The victory marks Korir’s third consecutive marathon win, following triumphs at the Chicago Marathon and Valencia Marathon, where he clocked 2:02:44 and a personal best of 2:02:24, respectively.

Since his Valencia victory in December, his only outing had been a win at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country, but he showed no signs of rust against a deep and competitive Boston field.

Women's race

Like in the men’s race, the women’s contest also produced a repeat champion, with Sharon Lokedi successfully defending her title.

The 32-year-old pulled away from a strong field to win her second consecutive Boston Marathon crown, clocking 2:18:51.

The Kenyan opened up a commanding gap as the race progressed and crossed the finish line comfortably ahead of her rivals, where she was met with warm embraces from her coach and manager, Stephen Haas.

She had entered the race determined to defend her title, maintaining that the pressure of being champion would not alter her approach.

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Her victory comes a year after she set a course record of 2:17:22 in Boston, a performance that shaved over two minutes off the previous mark set by Buzunesh Deba in 2014.

Behind Lokedi, fellow Kenyan Loice Chemnung finished second in 2:19:35, while Mary Ngugi-Cooper completed an all-Kenyan podium in 2:20:07.

Mercy Chelangat came in fourth in 2:20:30, just ahead of American Jess McClain, who finished fifth in 2:20:49. Pre-race favourite Irine Cheptai, who had entered with the fastest personal best in the field, placed sixth in 2:20:54.