WATCH: Conner Mantz Outkicks Kenyan Rival to Clinch Historic BOLDERBoulder Three-Peat

Conner Mantz made history on Memorial Day at the 2025 BOLDERBoulder, becoming the first man to win three consecutive professional titles at the storied 10K race in Boulder, Colorado. In a dramatic finish inside Folsom Field, Mantz outkicked Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo to win in 28:20, just two seconds ahead of the Kenyan, who clocked 28:22.

The victory not only extended Mantz’s reign at the top of the BOLDERBoulder podium but solidified his place in race history: no male athlete had ever won three straight titles in the elite race’s 45-year history.

A Race to the Line

From the start, the 2025 men’s pro race delivered on its billing. Mantz, wearing bib M1, went stride-for-stride with Ebenyo through the hilly, turn-filled course that winds through Boulder’s neighborhoods before finishing on the University of Colorado’s football field.

Both athletes opened with a 4:21 first mile and held near-identical splits throughout the race, rarely separating by more than a step.

The deciding move came only in the final stretch inside Folsom Field, where Mantz surged ahead in a decisive sprint finish, reminiscent of his tight win last year over Eritrea’s Yemane Haileselassie.

Mantz’s victory capped a hard-fought battle that included six miles of sub-4:45 pace, with neither athlete willing to concede an inch.

The result mirrored his January finish at the Houston Half Marathon, where he was narrowly edged out in another photo finish by Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena, who also competed in Boulder and finished fourth in 28:43.

Historic Achievement

Mantz entered the race hoping to become the first male athlete to win three straight BOLDERBoulder titles, a feat previously accomplished only by two women: Rosa Mota and Deena Drossin. Although Arturo Barrios won four times in the 1980s and ’90s, no man had claimed three in a row until now.

In the days leading up to the race, Mantz acknowledged how difficult the repeat could be, especially following his stellar showing at the Boston Marathon, where he placed fourth overall and ran 2:05:08—the second-fastest time ever by an American in Boston history.

“That would be a huge one. BOLDERBoulder is so iconic,” Mantz said in an interview with Buffzone before the race. “Historically, it’s a great race. A three-peat there, I would love to do, but that’s going to be a very hard thing to accomplish based on where my training’s at.”

Mantz also reflected on the course itself, calling it one of the most enjoyable but difficult in road racing.

“It’s a fun race. I loved cross country in high school, and it’s probably one of the most cross country-esque road races you run because there’s so many turns in that course,” he told Buffzone. “It’s hilly, but what I think makes the BOLDERBoulder course so difficult is there’s a million turns. A lot for a 10K.”

Full Results – Men’s Pro Race

1. Conner Mantz (USA) – 28:20
2. Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (KEN) – 28:22
3. Abbabiya Simbassa (USA) – 28:36
4. Addisu Gobena (ETH) – 28:43
5. Aidan Reed (USA) – 29:05
6. Joe Klecker (USA) – 29:12
7. Athanas Kioko (KEN) – 29:18
8. Hillary Bor (USA) – 29:27
9. Yemane Haileselassie (ERI) – 29:34
10. Tuemay Tsegay (ERI) – 29:37

Mantz’s victory at the BOLDERBoulder adds to what has been a strong and steady progression in his professional career following the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he represented the U.S. in the marathon.

In 2025, he has already made headlines with a landmark performance at the Boston Marathon, where he placed fourth overall in 2:05:08—the second-fastest time ever recorded by an American on the Boston course.

That effort followed his American half-marathon record of 59:17, set in January at the Houston Half Marathon. While he narrowly lost that race to Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena in a photo finish, Mantz’s performance set a new standard for American road racing.

Now, with a three-peat in Boulder and proven success across distances from 10K to the marathon, Mantz continues to establish himself as one of the most versatile and dangerous American distance runners on the global stage.