The 130th Boston Marathon delivered one of the most electrifying days in the race’s storied history. John Korir shattered the course record with a 2:01:52 finish, while Sharon Lokedi pulled away late for her second consecutive title in 2:18:51. Here are the full elite results from April 21, 2026.
Men’s Elite Results
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Korir | KEN | 2:01:52 (CR) |
| 2 | Alphonce Felix Simbu | TAN | 2:02:47 |
| 3 | Benson Kipruto | KEN | 2:02:50 |
| 4 | Hailemaryam Kiros | ETH | 2:03:42 |
| 5 | Zouhair Talbi | MAR/USA | 2:03:45 |
| 6 | Tebello Ramakongoana | LES | 2:04:18 |
| 7 | Charles Hicks | GBR/USA | 2:04:35 |
| 8 | Richard Ringer | GER | 2:04:47 |
| 9 | Alex Masai | KEN | 2:05:32 |
| 10 | Milkesa Mengesha | ETH | 2:05:35 |
Korir’s 2:01:52 is the third-fastest marathon ever run on American soil and obliterates the previous Boston course record. The Kenyan champion ran virtually alone from 30K onward, pulling away from Simbu and Kipruto over the Newton hills with a devastating surge. All three podium finishers ran under 2:03 — a first in Boston Marathon history.
Women’s Elite Results
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharon Lokedi | KEN | 2:18:51 |
| 2 | Loice Chemnung | KEN | 2:19:35 |
| 3 | Mary Ngugi-Cooper | KEN | 2:20:07 |
| 4 | Mercy Chelangat | KEN | 2:20:30 |
| 5 | Jess McClain | USA | 2:20:49 |
| 6 | Irine Cheptai | KEN | 2:21:15* |
| 8 | Annie Frisbie | USA | 2:22:00 |
*Partial results shown. Cheptai’s time is unofficial. Complete top 10 will be updated as official BAA results are finalized.
Lokedi ran a patient race, sitting in the pack through halfway before breaking away over the final 10K. Her 2:18:51 made her the first woman to win back-to-back Boston titles since Catherine Ndereba in 2004-2005. The Kenyan dominance was remarkable — four of the top five finishers wore the Kenyan flag. Jess McClain was the standout American, finishing 5th in 2:20:49, setting a new American course record for Boston.
Wheelchair Results
| Division | Winner | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s | Marcel Hug | SUI | 1:15:33 |
| Women’s | Eden Rainbow-Cooper | GBR | 1:30:51 |
Marcel Hug captured his ninth Boston Marathon wheelchair title in 1:15:33, continuing his extraordinary dominance of the event. Daniel Romanchuk of the United States finished second. In the women’s wheelchair race, Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Great Britain won her second Boston title in 1:30:51, building a commanding lead early and never looking back. Catherine Debrunner finished second.
Top American Finishers
Men
| Place (Overall) | Athlete | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | Zouhair Talbi | 2:03:45 | Fastest American ever at Boston |
| 7th | Charles Hicks | 2:04:35 | |
| 11th | Clayton Young | 2:05:41 |
Women
| Place (Overall) | Athlete | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | Jess McClain | 2:20:49 | American Boston course record |
| 8th | Annie Frisbie | 2:22:00 | |
| 21st | Sara Hall | 2:31:55 |
It was a banner day for Americans at the 130th Boston Marathon. Zouhair Talbi’s 2:03:45 is the fastest time ever recorded by an American man at Boston, and his 5th-place overall finish was the highest by an American male since Meb Keflezighi’s win in 2014. On the women’s side, Jess McClain’s 2:20:49 set a new American course record for the Boston Marathon. Both performances signal a new era of American competitiveness at the world’s most prestigious marathon.
What We Saw
Korir is the real deal. Defending your Boston title is hard enough. Doing it in 2:01:52 with a course record puts John Korir in the conversation with the greatest Boston Marathon performances of all time. At 26, he could become the dominant force in Boston for years to come.
Lokedi owns this race. Back-to-back titles and a sub-2:19 on the famously hilly Boston course. Sharon Lokedi ran a tactically perfect race, letting the pack do the work before unleashing a devastating late-race move that nobody could answer.
The American resurgence is real. Two American course records in one day — Talbi in the men’s race and McClain in the women’s — plus Charles Hicks finishing 7th and Annie Frisbie running 2:22 for 8th. The depth of American marathon running hasn’t looked this strong in decades.
