It was a good day for business for Kenyan athletes during the Boston Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Monday, April 21, 2025, as Sharon Lokedi and John Korir won the female and male races, respectively, in historic times.

Lokedi shattered an 11-year-old course record by finishing in 2:17:22, slicing off an impressive two minutes and 37 seconds. Hot on her heels was fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri, a two-time Boston champion, who posted a time of 2:17:41.

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw secured third place with a finish of 2:18:06.

Meanwhile, Korir emerged victorious in the men’s race, crossing the finish line in 2:04:45 — the second-fastest winning time ever recorded at the Boston Marathon.

The 2024 Chicago Marathon champion secured a convincing win ahead of Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu and Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut, who both posted a time of 2:05:04.

Smashing course record

From the onset, the women’s course record was put under threat as a group of 15 female athletes ran shoulder to shoulder looking to grab the title.

Among the leading contenders were Sharon Lokedi, Hellen Obiri, Yalemzerf Yehualaw, reigning world champion Amane Beriso, and Irine Cheptai. The five stuck together through the 10km mark, clocking 32:51.

By the time they hit the 20km mark, ten athletes had dropped back, leaving Lokedi, Obiri, Yehualaw, Beriso, and Cheptai in a tight contest. At the halfway point, Cheptai began to lose pace, narrowing the lead pack to four.

As the race wore on, Yehualaw and Beriso also started to fall behind, setting up a thrilling duel between Lokedi and Obiri. In the final stretch, Lokedi managed to edge out Obiri, clinching the win, despite being placed fourth overall in the final standings.

John Korir

In the men’s race, Korir overcame a dramatic start falling and losing his bib, to claim a remarkable victory.

The race began with a tightly packed group of runners, maintaining a blistering pace through the first 10km, clocking 28:52, which hinted at a potential sub-2:02 finish.

By the halfway mark, the group had thinned to 16 competitors. With just over a mile to go, Korir surged ahead, picking up the tempo and making his intentions clear.

Channeling the legacy of his brother, Wesley Korir, who won the Boston Marathon 13 years ago, Korir powered through to the front and sprinted to a memorable finish.

Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu claimed second place, while fellow Kenyan Cybrian Kotut secured third.

Murkomen lauds them

Following their impressive runs, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen lauded them for raising the Kenyan flag high.

“Congratulations, John Kori,r on winning the men’s Boston Marathon with a dominant performance despite an earlier setback in the race. Kudos too, Sharon Lokedi for shattering the course record in the women’s race,” Murkomen’s statement read in part.

“Big up to Hellen Obiri for coming 2nd and Cybrian Kotut for finishing 3rd in the women’s and men’s races, respectively. You all displayed the indomitable Kenyan spiri,t and we couldn’t be more proud of you.”