Sharon Lokedi Shatters Boston Marathon Record with Dominant Victory
Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi sensationally broke the Boston Marathon course record by over two minutes on Monday, delivering a powerful finish to win in 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 22 seconds. Last year’s runner-up, Lokedi, was in a tight race with two-time champion Hellen Obiri as they navigated through Boston’s final mile. However, Lokedi gradually increased her speed, crossing the finish line 19 seconds ahead. “It feels so good,” Lokedi shared in a televised interview on ESPN2, “It was tough, and I toughed it out.”
In the men’s competition, Kenyan John Korir made a decisive move at Mile 20, pulling ahead of the pack to secure victory in 2:04:45. Having also triumphed at last year’s Chicago Marathon, Korir and his older brother Wesley make history as the first siblings to win the Boston Marathon. Wesley, who won in 2012, awaited his brother at the finish. “I had promised Wesley I was going to win,” younger Korir said on ESPN2. Team USA’s Conner Mantz maintained a strong showing, finishing fourth in 2:05:08, marking the best American men’s finish since 2018. Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, last year’s champion, exited after halfway. The Swiss athlete Marcel Hug and Susannah Scaroni claimed victories in the men’s and women’s wheelchair races.
Amid all the action, Lokedi’s story stood out as she smashed the course record at the oldest annual marathon worldwide. Starting amidst a group of 14 to 16 women, Lokedi noticed mid-way through the race that they were on a record-breaking pace after their half-marathon time came in under 69 minutes. “Jesus,” she recalled thinking, “That’s so fast.” Despite concerns about maintaining such a pace especially over the challenging hills in the latter part of the course, Lokedi smiled as she admitted to frequent doubts.
As the lead pack dwindled to three runners, it appeared the race would end in a final sprint between Lokedi and Obiri, a track star and two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 5,000 meters. While Obiri seemed to have the advantage on paper, Lokedi took control, securing the win and the course record. The previous record, set by Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Deba in 2014, stood at 2:19:59. Among the American women, Jess McClain was the top finisher, claiming seventh in 2:22:43. The last American female to win the Boston Marathon was Des Linden in 2018, while American men’s victories date back even further to 2014.