Korir’s Command, Lokedi’s Late Surge: Boston Marathon Delivers Big Moves and Bigger Statements

Deji Ogeyingbo, our senior writer for Nigeria, helps us put this race in perspective, what did the 129th Boston Marathon mean for John Korir and Sharon Lokedi, the winners of the men’s and women’s elite races.

Korir’s Command, Lokedi’s Late Surge: Boston Marathon Delivers Big Moves and Bigger Statements

BOSTON — What began with a stumble ended in domination. Kenya’s John Korir fell just moments into the 2025 Boston Marathon, a race that already has a storied history of pressure for some of the very best marathoners in history. Some even avoid it completely, but it took only 20 miles—and one crushing 4:41 split—to remind everyone watching who the strongest man on the course really was.

Korir crossed the finish in 2:04:45, joining his brother Wesley, the 2012 winner, in the small circle of Boston champions. It marks the first time a pair of brothers have won this race. But Korir’s win means more than joining his brother in history, it gives weight to his rising case as the top marathoner in the world. He didn’t just win Boston; he dominated Chicago last fall in 2:02:43, blowing away the field by nearly two minutes. Today in Boston, he again separated with authority, pushing through a slight headwind to open a 59-second gap by 24.8 miles and finishing 19 seconds clear at the tape.

The win was aggressive , but measured. Korir didn’t panic after his fall. He hung back through the early miles as American Conner Mantz took the race out hard, blitzing a downhill first 5K in 14:20. A sizable pack of 16 men hit halfway in 1:01:52–54. But Korir waited, then attacked at just the right moment, putting in a brutal move before mile 20 that splintered the lead group and left no doubt about who was in control.

Behind him, the race for second came down to a fierce battle. Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania, a consistent Olympic top-10 finisher, grabbed runner-up honors in 2:05:04. It was only the second podium finish of his career despite 24 marathon starts. Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut, a former winner in Hamburg and Amsterdam, placed third in 2:05:04.

Mantz, meanwhile, may not have made the podium, but he made a statement of his own. He clocked a massive personal best of 2:05:08—nearly two and a half minutes faster than his previous best of 2:07:47. Boston’s course doesn’t technically qualify for official personal bests due to its net elevation drop and point-to-point layout, but that’s academic. Mantz ran into a light headwind and was bold in every sense. He led early, surged again in the Newton Hills, and held off all but three men.

Fifth place went to Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris, the two-time world 5000m champion making his marathon debut. He handled the distance well, finishing in 2:05:59. Right behind him were Mantz’s former BYU teammates Rory Linkletter and Clayton Young, who ran 2:07:02 and 2:07:04 respectively. Linkletter edged Young in the final mile to take sixth.

While Korir’s back-to-back major wins put him at the center of any serious conversation about marathon supremacy, he isn’t alone. Sunday’s London Marathon will have a say, but with both Benson Kipruto and Deresa Geleta—ranked No. 1 and 2 last year—already beaten in Tokyo, Korir’s two-race résumé in the last six months carries weight. His coach Haron Lagat, who shares duties with Ron Mann, believes the best is still ahead. “He’s not just winning,” Lagat said. “He’s controlling the race. He’s owning it.”

On the women’s side, the day belonged to Sharon Lokedi, who used patience, grit, and one sizzling final mile to spoil Hellen Obiri’s attempt to become the first woman in the 21st century to win Boston three times. Lokedi clocked 2:17:22, breaking the course record of 2:19:59 and earning herself $200,000—$150,000 for the win and a $50,000 bonus for the record.

Lokedi’s win wasn’t smooth sailing. After a blistering 4:48 16th mile, she fell off the lead group. But she stayed composed and reeled them back in by mile 18. Then, when it mattered most, she surged. Her 5:04 final mile was enough to drop Obiri and take her second major marathon title. More importantly, it ended a four-race losing streak to Obiri, including a 0-3 record in 2024 alone.

Obiri finished second in 2:17:41. Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, in her Boston debut, finished third in 2:18:06. Amane Beriso, who owns the fastest personal best in the field at 2:14:58 and did much of the early leading, faded to fifth in 2:21:58 after pushing the pace through the halfway mark in 68:46.

The top non-African-born finisher was Britain’s Calli Thackery, sixth in 2:22:38. She improved one spot from her fall performance in Berlin. American Jess McClain, who placed fourth at the 2024 Olympic Trials in both the marathon and the 10,000 meters, was the top American in seventh. She ran a personal best 2:22:43, improving significantly from her previous mark of 2:25:46.

Annie Frisbie, another American, went out aggressively with a sub-70-minute first half (69:41) and held top American position until the 25th mile. She still ran a huge personal best of 2:23:21, shattering her previous mark of 2:26:18 from her debut in New York back in 2021.

In the end, it was a Boston Marathon filled with bold moves, breakout performances, and new bragging rights. For Korir, two majors in six months speak louder than words. For Lokedi, beating Obiri on this stage, in that time, speaks even louder.