Boston Marathon: John Korir, Sharon Lokedi successfully defend titles

Kenyans Sharon Lokedi (L) and John Korir, the top female and male finishers at the 2026 Boston Marathon, pose together at the finish line Monday in Boston. Photo by Amanda Sabga/EPA

April 20 (UPI) -- Kenyans John Korir and Sharon Lokedi successfully defended their Boston Marathon crowns as the respective top male and female finishers Monday in Boston.

Korir and Lokedi became just the second set of male and female runners to win the race in consecutive years, joining Cosmas Ndeti and Uta Pippig, the top man and woman from the 1994 and 1995 Boston Marathons.

"It felt like I was back home," Korir, who bested his 2025 finish time by nearly three minutes, said on the ESPN broadcast.

Korir clocked a course-record 2:01:52, with an average pace of about 4:39 per mile, on the 26.2-mile course, which started in Hopkinton, dropped down to Ashland, wound through Framingham, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline and ended on Boylston Street.

Lokedi crossed the finish line at 2:18:51, 00:44 ahead of second-place Loice Chemnung in the 130th edition of the World Marathon Major. She also set a course record.

"I just kept telling myself be patient, be patient, be humble, you got this, you can do it," Lokedi said. "Then there was a little girl saying 'You got this ladies.' And it was so cute.

"That was what I needed. It gave me so much to look forward to and to run as fast as I could to get here."

Marty Ngugi-Cooper (2:20:07) placed third among women. Mercy Chelangat (2:20:30) and Jess McClain (2:20:49) were the other Top-5 female finishers. McClain was the top American woman for the second consecutive year.

Alphonce Felix Simbu (2:02:47) finished second overall, 0:55 behind Korir. Benson Kipruto (2:02:50) finished third. Hailemaryam Kiros (2:03:42) placed fourth. Zouhaiar Talbi placed fifth at 2:03:45, the fastest time ever for an American at the Boston Marathon.

His time also edged Connor Mantz's American marathon record of 2:04:43, but will not stand as a new official U.S. mark because the course is not record-eligible.

Marcel Hug was the top male finisher in the wheelchair race. He clocked a 1:16:06 to win for the ninth time in 11 years, including wins in each of the last four editions of the event. Eden Rainbow-Cooper (1:30:51) was the top woman in the wheelchair race.