Boston Marathon 2026 preview: Will a U.S. runner return to a major podium?

In Monday's Boston Marathon, American runners seek to end the nation's longest major international marathon podium drought (combined for women and men) since the World Marathon Majors series began in 2006.

The last American female runner to finish in the top three of a major (Boston, New York City, Chicago, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Sydney since 2025, the Olympics or World Championships) was Emily Sisson, who placed second at the 2022 Chicago Marathon.

The last American male runner to do so was Galen Rupp, who was third in Chicago in 2021.

Both Sisson and Rupp are entered in Monday's race.

As are fellow Olympians seeking their first major international podiums such as Fiona O'Keeffe (2024 Olympic Trials winner, fourth in New York City last November) and Clayton Young (2024 Olympic Trials runner-up, plus finished between seventh and ninth in his last five major international marathons).

At Boston, the world's oldest annual marathon dating to 1897, the last American runners to finish in the top three were Jordan Hasay (third in 2019) and Stanley Biwott (third in 2018).

For the U.S. men, it's the longest Boston podium drought since 1985 to 2006. For the U.S. women, if none finish in the top three on Monday, it'll be the longest drought since 1993 to 2009.

U.S. runners’ podium finishes in major marathons

*Since 2020

Chances may be better Monday for the U.S. women given the overall Boston fields.

Kenyan Sharon Lokedi, who won Boston last year in the fastest women's time in course history (2:17:22), is back.

Most of the other top stars signed up for the London Marathon next Sunday — Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia, Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya — plus Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, who both withdrew from London due to injuries.

That further opens the door in Boston for an already surging Fiona O’Keeffe.

O'Keeffe, who won the 2024 Olympic Trials in her marathon debut, was fourth in her most recent marathon in New York City last November in the fastest time ever by an American on that course (2:22:49).

"I think a great day (in Boston) would be podium," she told LetsRun.com.

Sisson, like O'Keeffe, is making her Boston debut. Sisson ran an American record 2:18:29 when she became the most recent U.S. runner to make a major podium at the 2022 Chicago Marathon.

In her last marathon, she was the third-fastest American in New York City in November (eighth overall).

"I don't want to go into a race thinking I just want to be the top American," Sisson told LetsRun. "For so many years, I'm like, I want to medal. I want to be on a podium. And I'm still working my way to come back to that fitness."

The Boston men's field features Kenyan John Korir, who last April posted the second-fastest men’s winning time in race history (2:04:45). In his most recent marathon in December, Korir won Valencia in 2:02:24, making him the eighth-fastest marathoner in history.

Korir's top challenger going into Boston is countryman Benson Kipruto, the only male runner to win all three U.S. major marathons -- Boston (2021), Chicago (2022) and New York City (2025).

The U.S. contingent was headlined by American record holder Conner Mantz, but he withdrew three weeks ago, citing a lack of fitness.

Rupp, a four-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist who turns 40 on May 8, placed 16th in his last two marathons (2024 Olympic Trials, 2025 Chicago) while undergoing hip surgery in between.

Young, who has trained with Mantz the last several years in Utah, said his workouts have been "up and down" since December after an ankle injury sidelined him for 18 weeks.

Last year in Boston, he ran a personal best 2:07:04 for seventh place.

"The last two or three weeks have kind of shown, oh, wow, I might have a chance to actually compete better than last year, which is really exciting," he said. "So I'm kind of approaching this a little bit with curiosity with a short build with only eight to 10 weeks and a lot of gratitude to be out here, to be healthy."

Then there's Zouhair Talbi, who was 35th in the Paris Olympic marathon for Morocco.

In 2025, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve, gained U.S. citizenship and was granted a nationality switch for competition to the U.S., going into effect in August 2027 (in time for the March 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials).

Talbi won the Houston Marathon in January in 2:05:45, a time bettered by only three Americans in history (Mantz and the retired Khalid Khannouchi and Ryan Hall).

Talbi believes posting that time, along with Mantz running an American record 2:04:43 in Chicago last October, will help raise U.S. men's marathoning as a whole.

"I need to dream big and try to run fast," Talbi told Flotrack. "That will elevate just the mindset from other people to start taking it."

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