Boston Marathon 2025: Elite Race Preview
The 129th Boston Marathon features one of the most competitive and internationally diverse elite fields in recent memory. On both the men’s and women’s sides, proven champions return to defend their titles, while established contenders and emerging athletes arrive in peak form. With Olympic-year implications and course experience playing a central role, Boston is set to once again serve as a proving ground for tactical strength and racing acumen.
Women’s Race: A Historic Opportunity and a Loaded Field
Two-time defending champion Hellen Obiri headlines the women’s elite race, aiming to become the first woman to win Boston three times in a row since Catherine Ndereba (2004-2005). Obiri, a Kenyan runner representing ON Athletics Club, has excelled on tactical, hilly courses like Boston and New York City. Despite holding only the 10th-fastest personal best in the field (2:21:38), she has consistently outperformed expectations in major championships. Obiri outkicked Amane Beriso to win Boston in 2023 and returned in 2024 with another commanding performance.
Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso (PB 2:14:58), the fifth-fastest marathoner of all time, has become a familiar rival to Obiri. After finishing second to Obiri in Boston 2023, Beriso returned to form later that year to win the marathon at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Their rivalry continued at the Paris Olympics in 2024, where Obiri claimed the bronze medal while Beriso faded to fifth after running near the front for much of the race. Her 2:14:58 at the 2022 Valencia Marathon remains one of the fastest performances in marathon history.
Jalemzerf Yehualaw, winner of the 2022 London Marathon with a personal best of 2:17:23, adds another layer of depth to the field. At 24, Yehualaw remains one of the sport’s top young prospects, especially when the pace is aggressive from the outset.
Other notable entrants include Edna Kiplagat, a former Boston champion (2017) and two-time World Marathon Majors series winner, and Sharon Lokedi, who finished second last year and was outkicked by Obiri in the final mile and previously won the 2022 New York City Marathon. Both have demonstrated consistency in challenging conditions.
Top American Women to Watch
This year’s American field features a mix of seasoned veterans and recent breakthroughs. Kira D’Amato (PB 2:19:12), the former U.S. record holder, brings experience and tactical savvy. Though her best marks are from 2022, she remains one of the country’s most reliable competitors.
Dakotah Poppen (formerly Lindwurm) earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team with a breakout performance at the Trials in February. Poppen has raced Boston three times, an advantage in a race where course familiarity can be critical.
Emma Bates, 5th in Boston in 2022 and 7th at the 2023 World Championships, is known for her disciplined pacing and ability to respond in the later stages. Des Linden, the 2018 Boston winner, returns once again, while Sara Hall (PB 2:20:32) remains a wildcard in terms of current fitness.
Men’s Race: Lemma Returns, But Not Unchallenged
Defending champion Sisay Lemma (PB 2:01:48) leads the men’s field. In 2024, Lemma surged to an early lead and held it wire to wire, winning Boston with a bold solo effort. However, an injury sidelined him for much of the year, including a withdrawal from the Olympic team, and he finished 10th in Valencia in December. At Friday’s press conference, Lemma stated he is fit and ready to run fast, signaling a return to form ahead of Monday’s race.
Kenya’s John Korir arrives with momentum after winning the 2024 Chicago Marathon in 2:02:44, the second-fastest time ever run on that course. His negative split in that race was one of the fastest in marathon history, underscoring his potential to close hard in Boston. Korir is the younger brother of 2012 Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir, and he followed his Chicago performance with a strong fourth-place showing in Boston last year. He appears ready to contend again on a course that suits his developing tactical acumen, having first impressed with a fourth-place finish in Boston before his breakthrough win in Chicago later in 2024.
Evans Chebet, Boston winner in 2022 and 2023 and third last year, continues to be one of the most consistent marathoners in the world. He has finished on the podium in six of his last seven major marathon appearances.
Additional contenders include Cyprian Kotut (PB 2:03:51), runner-up in Berlin last fall, and Lelisa Desisa, a two-time Boston champion who has not raced a marathon since 2020. Desisa is a long shot, but one with substantial course knowledge.
Top American Men to Watch
Connor Mantz leads the U.S. men’s field following his win at the Olympic Trials and a new national record in the half marathon (60:13). Mantz was 10th in New York last fall and is among the few Americans capable of staying with the lead group in the early stages.
Clayton Young, Mantz’s training partner and fellow Olympian, brings a recent 2:08:00 finish in Chicago and has consistently improved over the past year. CJ Albertson, known for his aggressive tactics and repeated appearances in Boston, could again set the tone early in the race.
Others to watch include Zach Panning, a front-runner with international experience, and Reed Fischer and Brian Shrader, both of whom have the potential to finish among the top 10 Americans.
Our Picks
Women’s Winner Predictions:
- Alex Cyr: Jalemzerf Yehualaw
- Michael Doyle: Amane Beriso
- Katelyn Tocci: Hellen Obiri
Top American Women:
- Michael: 1. Poppen, 2. Bates, 3. D’Amato
- Alex: 1. D’Amato, 2. Poppen, 3. Bates
- Katelyn: 1. D’Amato, 2. Bates, 3. Hall
Men’s Winner Predictions:
- Alex Cyr: Sisay Lemma
- Michael Doyle: John Korir
- Katelyn Tocci: Evans Chebet
Top American Men:
- Michael: 1. Albertson, 2. Mantz, 3. Young
- Alex: 1. Mantz, 2. Young, 3. Albertson
- Katelyn: 1. Mantz, 2. Young, 3. Panning
