John Korir Defends Boston Marathon Title, Runs 2:01:52 to Break Men's Course Record

John Korir of Kenya defended his Boston Marathon title on Monday, winning the 130th edition in 2 hours, 1 minute, 52 seconds in a performance that The Associated Press reported as a new men’s course record.

The repeat victory was a statement result even by Boston standards. Korir, already the defending champion after his 2025 win, beat what AP described as the fastest men’s field in race history. Conditions helped produce quick times: The race began after early frost in Hopkinton, with temperatures around 45 degrees at the start and a light tailwind. Jack Fultz, the race’s grand marshal, said the weather was “the polar opposite” of the conditions during his 1976 Boston win.

Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania finished second, about 55 seconds behind Korir, according to AP race coverage. Benson Kipruto of Kenya, the 2021 Boston champion, was third, roughly three seconds behind Simbu. AP also reported that Zouhair Talbi was fifth in 2:03:45, the fastest time ever recorded by a U.S. runner on Boston’s course.

Korir’s 2:01:52 broke Geoffrey Mutai’s previous men’s course mark of 2:03:02, set in 2011, according to AP. Several reports, including AP and ESPN, described Korir’s time as the fifth-fastest marathon ever run. But Boston’s point-to-point course and profile mean it is not eligible for ratified world records under World Athletics rules, so the official men’s world record remains Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 from Chicago in 2023.

The Boston Athletic Association said the race finished on Boylston Street in Boston after Monday’s start in Hopkinton. Korir’s win added to a résumé that already included major-marathon victories in Boston and Chicago, where he won in 2024. World Athletics had noted before the race that he ran a personal best of 2:02:24 in Valencia in 2025, underscoring that his title defense was no surprise. Boston success also runs in the family: his brother, Wesley Korir, won the race in 2012.