BOSTON CR SPLITS | JOHN KORIR

 

NEW COURE RECORD! | JOHN KORIR WINS THE 130TH BOSTON MARATHON

 

UGANDA'S JACOB KIPLIMO STUNS KENYAN DUO TO WIN 2025 BANK OF AMERICA CHICAGO MARATHON

Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo dominated the race from the 35 kilometer mark before going on to cross the finish line of the 2025 Chicago Marathon first in 2:02:23.

ATHLETICS
UGANDA'S JACOB KIPLIMO STUNS KENYAN DUO TO WIN

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo delivered a masterclass on the streets of Chicago to win the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, clocking an astonishing 2:02:23 — a new personal best — and firmly stamping his authority among the world’s greatest distance runners.

The 24-year-old Ugandan, better known for his exploits over the half marathon, outclassed a star-studded field that included multiple world medallists from Kenya and Ethiopia. 

In doing so, he shattered his previous marathon best by over a minute, signalling his seamless transition to the full 42.195 kilometres.

How Race Unfolded

The men’s elite pack exploded off the start line at a blistering pace, hitting the 5km mark in 13:58, led by an all-Kenyan contingent of John Korir, Timothy Kiplagat, Amos Kipruto, Philemon Kiplimo Kimaiyo, and Jacob Kiplimo, who was then listed as Kenyan in early race data.

By the halfway mark, the lead quintet went through in 1:00:16, maintaining a predicted finish time of just above the two-hour barrier — dangerously close to world record territory.

At 25km, Korir and Kiplimo began to separate from the rest of the field, clocking 1:11:12, with Kipruto trailing by ten seconds. 

The two then exchanged surges, but it was Kiplimo who decisively broke away shortly after 30km, producing a devastating burst that left even the seasoned Kenyans unable to respond.

By 35km, the Ugandan had built a commanding 70-second lead and was still running on near world-record pace, clocking 1:39:53 to Kipruto’s 1:41:05. Though he slowed slightly in the final miles, his effort was enough to finish more than a minute clear of his nearest rival.

He crossed the line in 2:02:23, the second-fastest time ever recorded on American soil, and a mark that will resonate across the global marathon circuit.

Kenyans Settle For Second and Third

Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, the 2022 London Marathon champion, finished second in 2:03:54, while compatriot Alex Masai surged late to claim third in 2:04:37.

American Conner Mantz delighted the home crowd by finishing fourth in 2:04:43, breaking Khalid Khannouchi’s 23-year-old American record of 2:05:38. In a touching moment, Khannouchi — the Chicago legend — was on hand to congratulate Mantz at the finish line.

- Mark Kinyanjui 

LOKEDI BREAKS BOSTON MARATHON COURSE RECORD, KORIR TAKES MEN'S RACE

Maddie Meyer//Getty Images

BOSTON — A rider dressed as Paul Revere eased his horse up to the Boston Marathon finish line and proclaimed, “The runners are coming.”

And down Boylston Street they came.

In record time. With a historic family first. And even “The Star-Spangled Banner” got some air time as the race and the region commemorated the 250th anniversary of the first shots fired in the American Revolution.

Sharon Lokedi of Kenya broke the Boston Marathon course record by more than 2 1/2 minutes on Monday, outkicking two-time defending champion Hellen Obiri a year after losing to her in one of the closest finishes in race history.

Fellow Kenyan John Korir recovered from a starting line fallto join his brother as a race champion — the first relatives to win the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon in a history that dates to 1897.

On a day that also marked the 50th anniversary of Bob Hall’s pioneering wheelchair race, Marcel Hug of Switzerland claimed his eighth victory and Susannah Scaroni of the United States took the women’s title.

“I always feel emotional when the national anthem is played,” said Scaroni, who won in 2023 but couldn’t defend her title last year because of an injury. “And to have ours played on this amazing, historic anniversary gives me goosebumps.”

Lokedi finished in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 22 seconds to claim the $150,000 first prize and another $50,000 bonus for breaking the course record of 2:19:59 set by Buzunesh Deba in 2014. A year after sprinting to an 8 second victory, Obiri was 19 seconds back in her attempt to become the first woman to win three straight since Fatuma Roba in 1999.

“Where she passed me last year, I passed her this year,” Lokedi said with a laugh. “I didn’t even believe. I kept looking back and thinking, ‘Where is she?’ I’m just so grateful to her for pushing me all the way through.”

Six months after winning on Chicago’s flatter course, Korir finished in 2:04:45 — the second-fastest winning time in Boston history as the runners took advantage of perfect marathon weather to conquer the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston’s Copley Square.

And he did it despite getting tripped up from behind near the start and falling. He got up to rejoin the lead pack at the rear.

“What came to my mind was should I stay down, or should I (get) up and go?” he said. “Something told me to (get) up and go, and that everything will be OK. … And everything went away.”

Korir’s race bib fell off and he tucked it into his running tights, pulling it out as he sprinted to the finish line. Waiting to congratulate him: 2012 Boston winner Wesley Korir, his older brother.

Although the race has been won by a pair of unrelated John Kelleys and two different Robert Cheruiyots, the Korirs are the first brothers to have won.

“He explained to be tough and believe in yourself,” said John Korir, who finished fourth and ninth in his two previous Boston attempts. “So I believed in myself and I followed his advice.”

Conner Mantz of Provo, Utah, finished fourth after losing a three-way sprint to the finish with Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania, who finished second, and Cybrian Kotut of Kenya, who was third.

Yalemzerf Yehualaw of Ethiopia was third in the women’s race. Jess McClain of Phoenix was the top American, in seventh place; 2018 winner Des Linden, who had announced she would retire from competitive running, won the masters division and was 17th overall.

When she crossed the finish line, the other American women bowed to her in tribute.

A field of 30,000 left Hopkinton on Monday morning for Boston’s Back Bay, where riders in Revolutionary War garb — accompanied by a fife and drum playing “Yankee Doodle” — rode down Boylston Street in a reenactment of Paul Revere’s ride.

The ceremony came to a temporary halt when the horse was spooked by the finish line decal on the street and pulled up. The actor portraying the colonial silversmith and patriot had to hop off and walk the last few steps himself as the small early crowd laughed and clapped.

- Jimmy Golen, Associated Press

JOHN KORIR, OF KENYA BECOMES SECOND BOSTON MARATHON WINNER IN HIS FAMILY

 

JOHN KORIR OBLITERATES STRONG FIELD TO RETURN BOSTON MARATHON TITLE TO KENYA

John Korir won the 2025 Boston Marathon after destroying the field.

John Korir ran a solo race to win the 2025 Boston Marathon title and emulate his brother Wesley Korir who won the race in 2012.

John Korir emulated his brother by becoming a Boston Marathon champion when he destroyed a strong field to win the 2025 edition of the race in the third fastest finish in the race’s history.

The Kenyan took off after the 30km and never looked back, leaving his rivals by a big gap, before he went on to win the race in a time of 2:04:45 and join his brother Wesley Korir, who won the race in 2012.

Korir had no equals when he took off and remained unchallenged for the second part of the race as he returned the Boston Marathon title to Kenya following Sissay Lemma’s win in 2024.

It was an East African affair as Tanzania's Alphonce Simbu finished second in 2:05:04 while CyBrian Kotut of Kenya completed the podium in 2:05:04.

- Joel Omotto