Boston Marathon: Kenya’s Korir defends crown, sets new course record
Kenya’s John Korir clinched a second straight Boston Marathon title on Monday, producing a decisive burst in the closing stages to claim a fourth successive marathon victory in a new course record.
The 29-year-old defending champion bided his time before pulling away from Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha after 20 miles to finish in 2:01:52.
Korir’s winning time shattered the previous course record of 2:03:02 set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.
Tanzania’s world champion Alphonce Simbu finished second in 2:02:47, sprinting past Kenya’s Benson Kipruto on the closing straight.
Korir’s second Boston triumph follows his victories at the Chicago Marathon in 2024 and the Valencia Marathon in December.
Published on Apr 20, 2026