John Kirir (left) hoists Boston Marathon trophy with brother Wesley. Photo:
Maddie Meyer/Getty
John Korir has followed in the footsteps of his big brother by winning the Boston Marathon!
The Kenyan runner, 28, broke the tape on Boylston Street during the 129th iteration of the race on Monday, April 21, finishing with an unofficial time of 2:04:45, CBS Sports reported.
Korir and his brother, Wesley Korir, who won the Boston Marathon in 2012, are the first siblings ever to both win the event.
“I expected him there (at the finish line),” John told CNN following the race. “I had promised him that I am going to win and I made it.”
John Korir crosses Boston Marathon finish line on April 21, 2025. Brett Phelps/The Boston Globe via Getty
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The athlete kept his promise to his big brother, who was waiting at the finish line just like he promised. “Today I will make jokes with him because I am the fastest in the family. He had a title for Boston in the family but now I’ve got it,” he joked to the outlet.
John broke away from the pack at mile 20 with a decisive move, according to USA Today, and he was off from there. However, early on, the runner took a tumble, but he quickly recovered before running his way into the history books with his brother Wesley. The two even posed together with John’s trophy after the race.
Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania outpaced Kenya’s Cyprian Kotut to finish second, where he crossed the line 19 seconds behind John. The top American was Conner Mantz, who finished fourth.
Wesley Korir of Kenya won the 2012 Boston Marathon. John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty
In the women’s race, history was also made.
University of Kansas alum Sharon Lokedi bested friend, compatriot and Boston defending champion Hellen Obiri to place first, finishing with a course-record time of 2:17:22, more than two and a half minutes faster than the previous record set in 2014.
When asked after the race if she worried about starting out too fast, even amid the course’s numerous, infamous hills, the Kenyan joked about her splits.
“Jesus,” Lokedi, 31, told ESPN. “That’s so fast.”
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After crossing the finish line, the 2022 New York Marathon winner embraced her mother, Rose Lokedi.
