John Korir of Kenya ran the fastest Boston Marathon in history on Monday, 20 April 2026, breaking the winner’s tape in 2:01:52 to destroy the course record dating back to 2011 at the major marathon.
Following a strategy similar to the one that carried him to last year’s crown, Korir surged into the lead around the 20-mile point and opened up a huge lead on his closest competitors. He finished in a course record 2:01:52.
Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania (2:02:47) finished second and Benson Kipruto (2:02:50) of Kenya came in third. All three were faster than the previous course record.
Lokedi broke away from a cluttered women’s pack late in the race to outdistance the field in 2:18:51, slightly behind her record-setting time from last year.
An estimated 30,000 racers navigated the course from Hopkinton to Boston in the 130th edition of the world’s oldest continuously run marathon.
Sharon Lokedi removed all drama from the first two-thirds of the women’s race as she pulled away from the field late on her way to victory.
Lokedi led a Kenyan sweep of the top four spots, breaking the tape in 2:18:51. It would have been a new women’s course record if not for her stellar run of 2:17:22 a year ago.
Compatriots Loice Chemnung, Mary Ngugi-Cooper and Mercy Chelangat followed Lokedi across the finish line, with American Jess McClain earning fifth place in 2:20:49.
Korir will take home $200,000 from the Boston Athletic Association, the host of the oldest continually run marathon in the U.S., including the $150,000 purse for champions plus a $50,000 bonus for breaking the course record.
The top 10 men’s and women’s finishers at the Boston Marathon will all earn prize money, along with the top 10 wheelchair division finishers and the top three masters runners. Wheelchair champions take home $50,000, while the fastest runners over age 40 earn $5,000 checks. The total prize purse for the complete Boston Marathon field is nearly $1.3 million, including course record bonuses.
