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John Korir wins the 2026 Boston Marathon in a record time
Korir matched his 2025 triumph with yet another dominant display, breaking the previous course record of Geoffrey Mutai from 2011.
For the second year in a row, John Korir survived an unsteady start to win the Boston Marathon men’s division. He did so in a record Boston time of 2:01:52.
Korir, the 29-year-old Kenyan, thrived amid a speedy pace from a talented field, emerging to make a solo move to the finish line on Boylston Street. Tanzanian runner Alphonce Felix Simbu finished second, with 2021 Boston champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya in third place.
With the marathon set on a day with cool conditions — perfect for competitors — the packed field of elite runners got off to a quick pace. The leading group was 46 seconds ahead of record pace at the 30-kilometer mark.
Milkesa Mengesha of Ethiopia made an early move before the Newton hills, but he was unable to sustain the forward momentum amid such a collective speed from the top runners in the field. Korir reeled him in, and quickly put Mengesha behind him.
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Once in the lead, the brother of the 2012 Boston winner (Wesley Korir) kept charging. Though competitors were within striking distance, no one was able to put together a successful late charge to top Korir.
It’s the second Boston win for Korir, having managed to win in 2025 despite taking a fall right after the start. This year, with all of his momentum surging forward, the Kenyan achieved a record time.
It topped the previous Boston best, posted by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 at 2:03:02.
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