John Korir Shatters Boston Marathon Course Record at 2:01:52 as Sharon Lokedi Retains Crown

John Korir smashed the Boston Marathon course record with a 2:01:52 finish, while Sharon Lokedi defended her women's title in 2:18:51.

The 130th running of the race began under chilly 45 °F conditions with a gusty tailwind reaching 10 mph. Korir, a 29‑year‑old Kenyan, took the lead at the 20‑mile mark and pulled away alone for the final six kilometers. He crossed the line in 2 hours, 1 minute and 52 seconds, beating the previous course mark set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 by 70 seconds.

Korir said he only felt happy after being informed he had broken the record, noting he knew he was on record pace at the 25‑mile point but did not check the clock. Sharon Lokedi won the women’s race in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 51 seconds, improving on her own course record from the prior year by 65 seconds. She survived a late challenge from compatriot Loice Chemnung, dropping her rival with sub‑4:50 mile splits in the closing stages.

The performance places Korir’s run as the fifth‑fastest marathon in history and signals renewed Kenyan dominance on the Boston course. Lokedi’s back‑to‑back victories highlight her consistency and set up a potential rivalry with emerging American talent such as Jess McClain, who ran the fastest ever U.S. woman’s time at Boston.

Watch for Korir’s next target: a possible attempt at the world record on a flatter, faster course later this year.