Boston Marathon results 2025: Korir takes glory despite bad fall while Lokedi wins women's race in record time

John Corir overcame a bad fall at the start to claim a spectacular victory in the men’s race as Sharon Lokedi took the plaudits in a thrilling women’s event on what was a Kenyan double at the Boston Marathon.

Kenya’s Corir was the brilliant winner of last year’s Chicago Marathon but had to overcome the worst possible start to the race in Boston when he took a bad tumble.

But he bided his time superbly, moved ahead in the second half and crossed the line in 2:04:45 to win by 19 seconds from Alphonce Felix Simbu (TAN) who just held off Cybrian Kotut (KEN) in a sprint finish for second.

The drama in the women’s race all came in the closing stages as it turned into a three-way battle between Lokedi, defending champion Hellen Obiri (KEN) and Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH).

A late kick from Lokedi finally shook off Obiri and denied her a third straight win as she had to settle for second place, 19 seconds behind, with Yehualaw in third.

All three were well inside the previous course record of 2:19:59, with Lokedi stopping the clock in 2:17:22.

Men’s race – Korir overcomes tumble

Korir was fourth at Boston last year but, 12 months on, he had to pick himself up off the tarmac just after the start.

And the extent of the fall was underlined by the fact he lost his front bib number which he picked up and put in his shorts.

But he didn’t panic and as others cut out the pace at the front he calmly moved into contention and was among a group of 16 by the halfway point.

The decisive move came just after the 10km to go mark and no one was able to respond.

With 5km to go, Korir’s advantage was up to 41 seconds and he was able to soak in the victory down the long finish straight, in so doing matching his older brother Wesley Korir who won the race in 2012.

But the three behind him were left to battle for the other two podium places and their cause wasn’t helped when they were sent to a right-hand finishing straight rather than following Korir.

Nonetheless Simbu and Kotut crossed the line virtually together, with the verdict going to the former.

American favourite Conner Mantz was the unlucky one to miss out on the podium as he finished four seconds back in fourth but there was some consolation in the fact that his time of 2:05:08 was a PB by over two-and-a-half minutes.

Women’s race – Lokedi proves strongest

The women’s race was an absorbing one – and an attritional test as the course record was shattered.

At halfway it looked between a group of five, the eventual first three and Irine Cheptai (KEN) and Amane Beriso (ETH).

Cheptai was the first to just lose touch at around the 30km mark and then Beriso dropped away with 5km to go.

It was then down to two in the final few kilometres but Lokedi kicked with 2km left and the elastic snapped dramatically as she powered clear to win by just under 20 seconds.