Home › Race Coverage › Lokedi and Korir repeat as champions in 130th Boston Marathon

Lokedi and Korir repeat as champions in 130th Boston Marathon

By on • ( 0 )

by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

4.20.26 Boston, MA—Many records fell at the 130th Boston Marathon on a day most athletes dream about. The weather was ideal with running temperatures in the forties, a tailwind, and no rain. It was a bit chilly for us, and we did leave the course a bit early after managing to photograph two athletes from our 717 area after the professional athletes ran by.

The pro men started first at 9:37 AM, with a large pack and at times various leaders. The group was following Lemi Berhanu of Ethiopia, the 2016 Boston champion, as he took them through halfway in 1:01:43. Eighteen men were in the hunt at halfway under 1:02:00. Milkesa Mengesha of Ethiopia built up a 12-second lead going into the Newton Hills. John Korir, the 2025 champion, took over in the 20th mile and hammered the second half in 1:00:02.  Korir won in 2:01:52 and set a new Boston Marathon course record. Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania took a spirited duel to the finish to place second in 2:02:47. Benson Kipruto of Kenya, the 2021 Boston champion, was third in 2:02:50. Hailemaryam Kiros of Ethiopia was fourth in 2:03:42. Zouhair Talbi of Colorado Springs was the top American in a new Boston USA record of 2:03:45. Charles Hicks of Eugene, OR was seventh in 2:04:25 and Clayton Young of Springville, UT was tenth in 2:05:41.  In all, twenty-eight men broke 2:10:00. It was a very good day for fast times. Talbi broke the Boston Marathon USA record of 2:04:58 set in 2011 by Ryan Hall.

Ten minutes later at 9:47 AM, the pro women started in Hopkinton.  The women ran in a large pack going through halfway in 1:11:02. American women Susanna Sullivan, Kodi Kleven, Annie Frisbie, Carrie Elwood, Jessica McClain, and Dakotah Popehn all enjoyed some time at the front of the pack. At 30K, defending champion Sharon Lokedi of Kenya began to drive the bus, and after heartbreak hill she distanced herself from the field with a 14:48 5K between 35K and 40K. Lokedi was all alone to savor the finish with a 2:18:51 victory. Loice Chemnung of Kenya was second in 2:19:35. Mary Ngugi-Cooper of Kenya, was third in 2:20:07 running her seventh Boston. Mercy Chelangat of Kenya was fourth in 2:20:30.

Jessica McClain of Phoenix, AZ set a new American Boston Marathon record of 2:20:49 to place fifth overall. McClain was the top USA runner at Boston in both 2025 and 2026. McClain broke the 2:22:02 mark set by Shalane Flanagan in 2014. The Americans behind McClain had strong performances as well. Annie Frisbie of Hopkins, MN was eighth in 2:22:00. USA record holder Emily Sisson of Providence, RI was ninth in 2:22:39. Carrie Elwood of Boulder, CO was tenth in 2:24:04.

Big kudos as well to Dakotah Popehn of Hopkins, MN who had a PB of 2:24:04; Elena Hayday of Minneapolis who had a PB of 2:24:45; Kodi Kleven of Vineyard, UT who had a PB of 2:24:48; and Amanda Vestri on a 2:24:49 PB. The four Americans placed twelve to fifteen.

Des Linden of Charlevoix, MI fired the starting gun for the pro women, and then started at 10AM in Wave 1, running with husband Ryan.  Linden, who recently ran the 6-day Marathon de Sables in the Moroccan Sahara, finished Boston in 2:35:49 and earning an Olympic marathon trials qualifier.  In all, 609 women broke three hours.

Winter Parts of Towson, MD was the top non-binary athlete; running 2:30:04.

Marcel Hug of Switzerland earned his ninth Boston Marathon victory in 1:16:06. Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Great Britain won her second Boston in 1:30:51. Hug and the wheelchair men started at 9:06 AM; Rainbow-Cooper and the women started at 9:09 AM.

There were six waves of runners, with the final wave (Wave 6) starting at 11:21 AM. Approximately 29,000 runners finished the 2026 Boston Marathon with a record 5,849 breaking three hours.

Top Women

  1. 2:18:51 Sharon Lokedi, 32, Kenya
  2. 2:19:35 Loice Chemnung, 29, Kenya
  3. 2:20:07 Mary Ngugi-Cooper, 37, Kenya
  4. 2:20:30 Mercy Chelangat, 26, Kenya
  5. 2:20:49 Jess McClain, 34, Phoenix, AZ
  6. 2:20:54 Irene Cheptai, 34, Kenya
  7. 2:21:52 Workenesh Edesa, 33, Ethiopia
  8. 2:22:00 Annie Frisbie, 29, Hopkins, MN
  9. 2:22:39 Emily Sisson, 34, Providence, RI
  10. 2:22:53 Carrie Elwood, 32, Boulder, CO
  11. 2:23:58 Bedatu Hirpa, 26, Ethopia
  12. 2:24:04 Dakotah Popehn, 30, Hopkins, MN
  13. 2:24:45 Elena Hayday, 26, Minneapolis, MN
  14. 2:24:48 Kodi Kleven, 33, Vineyard, UT
  15. 2:24:49 Amanda Vestri, 26, St Augustine, FL
  16. 2:25:06 Isobel Batt-Doyle, 30, Australia
  17. 2:26:39 Paige Wood, 30, Flagstaff, AZ
  18. 2:28:12 Madey Dickson, 29, Herriman, UT
  19. 2:28:35 Susanna Sullivan, 35, Reston, VA
  20. 2:31:31 Megan O’Neil, 29, Rochester Hills, MI
  21. 2:31:55 Sara Hall, 43, Flagstaff, AZ
  22. 2:32:41 Lisa Weightman, 47, Australia
  23. 2:33:17 Diana Bogantes Gonzalez, 37, Costa Rica
  24. 2:33:54 Erin Del Giudice, 32, Charlotte, NC
  25. 2:34:29 Elizabeth Chikotas, 30, Draper, UT
  26. 2:34:38 Mao Uesugi, 30, Japan
  27. 2:34:43 Cassandra DeWinter, 32, Canada
  28. 2:34:50 Alana Levy, 36, New York, NY
  29. 2:35:11 Monica Hebner, 26, Austin, TX
  30. 2:35:49 Desiree Linden, 42, Charlevoix, MI
  31. 2:36:14 Teagan Robertson, 28, Canada
  32. 2:36:37 Olivia Taber, 26, Fort Collins, CO
  33. 2:36:38 Katie Florio, 32, Philadelphia, PA
  34. 2:36:45 Claire Sumner, 31, Canada
  35. 2:36:45 Marybeth Chelanga, 36, Fayetteville, NC
  36. 2:37:33 Laura Pifer, 41, Suwanee, GA
  37. 2:37:34 Insa Mannstadt, 26, New York, NY
  38. 2:37:40 Marte Maehlum Johansen, 28, Norway
  39. 2:37:46 Katia Raoult, 28, France
  40. 2:37:58 Grace Connolly, 25, San Francisco, CA

Top Men

  1. 2:01:52 John Korir, 29, Kenya
  2. 2:02:47 Alphonce Felix Simbu, 34, Tanzania
  3. 2:02:50 Benson Kipruto, 35, Kenya
  4. 2:03:42 Hailemaryam Kiros, 29, Ethiopia
  5. 2:03:45 Zouhair Talbi, 31, Colorado Springs, CO
  6. 2:04:18 Tebello Ramakongoana, 29, Lesotho
  7. 2:04:35 Charles Hicks, 24, Eugene, OR
  8. 2:04:47 Richard Ringer, 37, Germany
  9. 2:05:32 Alex Masai, 29, Kenya
  10. 2:05:35 Milkesa Mengesha, 26, Ethiopia
  11. 2:05:41 Clayton Young, 32, Springville, UT
  12. 2:05:46 Ryan Ford, 28, Boulder, CO
  13. 2:05:56 Joe Klecker, 29, Boulder, CO
  14. 2:06:04 Rory Linkletter, 29, Canada
  15. 2:06:06 Yemane Haileselassie, 28, Eritrea
  16. 2:06:07 Nicholas Kipkorir, 27, Kenya
  17. 2:06:34 Hendrik Pfeiffer, 33, Germany
  18. 2:06:52 Sondre Moen, 35, Norway
  19. 2:07:38 Haftu Knight, 27, Rochester Hills, MI
  20. 2:07:55 Wesley Kiptoo, 26, Flagstaff, AZ
  21. 2:08:13 Abdi Nageeye, 37, Netherlands
  22. 2:08:15 Galen Rupp, 39, Portland, OR
  23. 2:08:58 Murphy Smith, 23, Brighton, MA
  24. 2:09:40 Robert Miranda, 25, Newton, MA
  25. 2:09:44 Tsegay Weldlibanos, 30, Eritrea
  26. 2:09:51 Jacob Thomson, 31, Flagstaff, AZ
  27. 2:09:59 CJ Albertson, 32, Fresno, CA
  28. 2:09:59 Patrick Tiernan, 31, Australia
  29. 2:10:16 Turner Wiley, 33, Issaquah, WA
  30. 2:10:20 Ryan Johnson, 24, Waltham, MA
John Korir of Kenya won his second straight Boston Marathon. Korir set a new Boston Marathon record of 2:01:52.
Sharon Lokedi of Kenya won her second straight Boston Marathon championship with a 2:18:51.
Jess McClain of Phoenix, AZ was fifth overall and first American for the second straight year. Jess ran a PB of 2:20:49.
Zouhair Talbi of Colorado Springs, CO was fifth overall in 2:03:45, setting a Boston Marathon American record.
Loice Chemnung of Kenya was second in 2:19:35.
Mary Ngugi-Cooper of Kenya was third in 2:20:07.
Workenesh Edesa of Ethiopia was seventh in 2:21:52.
Annie Frisbie of Hopkins, MN was eighth overall and second American in 2:22:00.
Emily Sisson of Providence, RI was ninth in 2:22:39 and third American.
Carrie Elwood of Boulder, CO was tenth in 2:22:53.
Dakotah Popehn of Hopkins, MN was twelfth in 2:24:04. Popehn was top American in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Elena Hayday of Minneapolis was thirteenth in 2:24:45.
Kodi Kleven of Vineyard, UT was fourteenth in 2:24:48.
Amanda Vestri of St Augustine, FL was fifteenth in 2:24:49.
Isobel Batt-Doyle of Australia was 16th in 2:25:06.
Paige Wood of Flagstaff, AZ was 17th in 2:26:39.
Madey Dickson of Herriman, UT was 18th in 2:28:12.
Susanna Sullivan of Reston, VA was 19th in 2:28:35. Sullivan was fourth at the 2025 Tokyo World Champs.
Megan O’Neil of Rochester Hills, MI was 20th in 2:31:31.
Sara Hall of Flagstaff, AZ was 21st and top master in 2:31:55.
Erin Del Giudice of Charlotte, NC was 24th in 2:33:54.
Elizabeth Chikotas of Draper, UT was 25th in 2:34:29.
Monica Hebner of Austin, TX was 29th in 2:35:11.
Katie Florio of Philadelphia, PA was 33rd in 2:36:38.
Intense battle for second place with Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania dueling with Benson Kipruto of Kenya, the 2021 Boston Marathon champion. Simbu took second in 2:02:47, with Kipruto third in 2:02:50.
Hailemaryam Kiros of Ethiopia finished fourth in 2:03:42.
Tebello Ramakongoana of Lesotho was sixth in 2:04:18.
Charles Hicks of Eugene, OR was seventh overall in 2:04:35.
Richard Ringer of Germany was eighth overall in 2:04:47.
Alex Masai of Kenya was ninth in 2:05:32.
Milkesa Mengesha of Ethiopia was tenth in 2:05:35.
Clayton Young of Springville, UT was eleventh in 2:05:41 and third American.
Ryan Ford of Boulder, CO was twelfth in 2:05:46.
Joe Klecker of Boulder, CO was 13th in 2:05:56.
Rory Linkletter of Canada was 14th in 2:06:04.
Hendrik Pfeiffer of Germany was 17th in 2:06:34.
Haftu Knight of Rochester Hills, MI was 19th in 2:07:38.
Wesley Kiptoo of Flagstaff, AZ was 20th in 2:07:55.
Abdi Nageeye of Netherlands was 21st in 2:08:13. He was the 2020 Olympic silver medalist.
Murphy Smith of Brighton, MA was 23rd in 2:08:58.
Robert Miranda of Newton, MA was 24th in 2:09:40.
CJ Albertson of Fresno, CA was 27th in 2:09:59.
Nick Hauger of Flagstaff, AZ was 34th in 2:12:05.
Barry Keane of Ireland was 38th in 2:13:01.
Ser-Od Bat-Ochir, 44, of Mongolia ran 2:16:41. He has run the marathon in six different Olympic games.
Winter Parts of Towson, MD was top non-binary in 2:30:04.
‹

Categories: Race Coverage

Tags: , ,

Leave a comment