Kenyan distance runners continued their reign over the streets of Massachusetts on Monday, as John Korir and Sharon Lokedi both secured back-to-back titles at the 130th Boston Marathon. The victories solidified  the Kenyan contingent’s dominance, as Korir shattered the course record while Lokedi led a dominant sweep of the women's podium.

As the champions of the men’s and women’s elite divisions, Korir and Lokedi each earned a top prize of $150,000. Both athletes also received the traditional gilded olive wreaths, which are sent from the plains of Marathon, Greece, to honor the winners of the world’s most prestigious annual marathon.

Korir’s historic afternoon proved to be even more lucrative. By crossing the finish line in a blistering 2:01:52, he eclipsed the previous course record, triggering a $50,000 bonus and bringing his total prize money for the day to $200,000. 

Lokedi captured her second straight Boston Marathon women's title on Monday, powering through the 26.2 miles in 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 51 seconds. While she struggled to find her rhythm early and even realized she had forgotten her watch while on the bus to the starting line, she managed to pull through when it mattered most. Lokedi noted that she simply decided to push the pace late in the race to see how it would go.

In the men’s race, Korir utilized a tactical approach nearly identical to his 2025 victory. After maintaining a steady position within the lead pack for the first half of the race, he made a decisive surge near the 20-mile mark. The move left his competitors trailing as he powered through the final stretch to finish in 2:01:52. The performance eclipsed the previous course record, cementing Korir’s place among the elite legends of the world's oldest continuously run marathon.

An estimated 30,000 participants took part in this year's historic 130th edition, traveling the famous route from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.