Korir sets Boston Marathon course record with second straight win

Korir Shatters Boston Marathon Course Record, Wins Second Straight Title

Kenya’s John Korir delivered one of the greatest performances in marathon history on Monday, winning the 130th Boston Marathon in a course-record time of 2:01:52 — the fastest ever run on the storied 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.pulsesports

Korir’s time obliterated the previous course record of 2:03:02, set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011, by 70 seconds. It also marked the second consecutive Boston title for the 29-year-old Kenyan, who won last year’s edition in 2:04:45. Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu finished second in 2:02:47, with 2021 champion Benson Kipruto third in 2:02:50 — both also under Mutai’s old mark.yahoo

Perfect Conditions Fuel Historic Times

Cool temperatures and a favorable tailwind combined to create near-ideal racing conditions along the point-to-point course. Race-morning temperatures hovered in the upper 40s, with a tailwind of around 10 mph at the runners’ backs throughout the day. The Boston Globe’s pre-race forecast had noted the winds would not be as perfectly positioned as the southwesterly gusts that aided Mutai’s 2011 run, but the conditions proved more than sufficient for Korir to rewrite the record books.wtop

Korir has been on a remarkable trajectory since winning the 2024 Chicago Marathon in 2:02:44. After that race, he told the Star newspaper he was targeting a sub-2:01 marathon. While he fell just short of that barrier on Monday, his 2:01:52 cemented his status among the fastest marathoners in history.wikipedia

Lokedi Defends Women’s Title

In the women’s race, fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi successfully defended her crown, winning in 2:18:51. Lokedi, who set the women’s course record of 2:17:22 last year, shed her gloves and arm sleeves with more than two miles remaining and closed with a 4:53 final mile to hold off compatriot Loice Chemnung, who finished second in 2:19:35. Mary Ngugi-Cooper completed an all-Kenyan podium in 2:20:07.bostonglobe

Jess McClain was the top American woman, finishing fifth in a personal best and American course record of 2:20:39, according to the Boston Globe.bostonglobe

The Kenyan sweep continued a dominant stretch at the world’s oldest annual marathon, with Korir now joining an elite group of back-to-back men’s champions at Boston. He and his brother Wesley, who won the 2012 edition, remain the only siblings to have won the event.runningmagazine