BOSTON — Kenya’s long-distance runners have done it again—this time with style, speed, and a touch of history. Sharon Lokedi and John Korir stormed to victory at the 2025 Boston Marathon on Monday, turning the streets of Massachusetts into a showcase of Kenyan endurance.
Lokedi, 30, crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 22 seconds, setting a new women’s course record and delivering what many are calling the race of her life.
“It’s surreal,” she said afterwards, still breathless. “I’ve dreamed of this moment, but to do it in record time? It’s beyond words.”
Behind her, fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri pushed hard to secure second place in 2:17:41, cementing a 1-2 finish that lit up social media back home.
In the men’s race, it was John Korir, 28, who broke away from a tight pack in the final stretch, surging ahead to claim the win in 2:04:45—the third fastest time in Boston Marathon history.
“It was tough out there, but I trusted my training,” Korir said. “When I saw the chance, I just went for it.”
His victory echoed the footsteps of his older brother, Wesley Korir, who famously won the same race in 2012. Wesley’s winning time back then? A much slower 2:12:40—proof, perhaps, of just how far elite marathoning has come.
Fast Times, Fierce Competition
It wasn’t just a Kenyan parade. The men’s finish saw a thrilling sprint for third place, with Kenya’s Cyprian Kotut and Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu both clocking 2:05:04. American Conner Mantz, a rising star in the sport, followed close behind in 2:05:08—his best Boston finish to date.
But Monday belonged to Kenya.
President William Ruto led the chorus of praise. “We salute you all for representing Kenya and for always being our finest ambassadors,” he said in a statement shared widely online. “Your performance demonstrated the resilience, determination, and spirit that define champions.”
He singled out Korir’s winning time—just shy of the course’s all-time best—as a “historic milestone in world athletics”.
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi echoed the sentiment: “Asanteni for carrying our flag with honour, excellence, and unmatched grace.”
A Nation That Runs
Kenya’s success in long-distance running is no secret. From Eliud Kipchoge to Tegla Loroupe, the country has produced icons who dominate from Berlin to Boston. But Monday’s victories, laced with records and sibling history, felt special.
In a sport where seconds count and margins are thin, Lokedi and Korir’s performances reminded the world that Kenya still knows how to win—and how to inspire.
And back home, on the hills of Iten and the roads of Eldoret, thousands of young runners watched—and maybe dreamed—of their own Boston moment someday.
