BOSTON — Kenyan runner John Korir defended his men's title at the 130th Boston Marathon on Monday in a course-record time of 2 hours, 1 minute and 52 seconds. The mark lowered Geoffrey Mutai's 2011 record of 2:03:02 by 70 seconds and stands as the fifth-fastest marathon time ever recorded.

Korir broke away from the lead pack as it headed into Heartbreak Hill in Newton and opened a 40-second lead on his pursuers. He crossed the finish line in Boston having captured the race for the second consecutive year.

"This year was a breeze for me because I had no problems at the start or at the finish," Korir said. Korir received $150,000 and a gilded olive wreath sent from the plains of Marathon, Greece, and will receive an additional $50,000 for setting the course record.

Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania finished second, 55 seconds behind Korir, in a time that also beat the previous course record. Benson Kipruto, the 2021 Boston Marathon champion, finished third, three seconds behind Simbu, also beating the previous record. Zouhair Talbi placed fifth in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 45 seconds, the fastest marathon time ever recorded by an American.

Korir is the brother of 2012 Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir, making them the only siblings to both win the race. He won the Chicago Marathon in 2024 and the Valencia Marathon in December 2025. The marathon world record of 2:00:35 is held by Kelvin Kiptum, set on the Chicago Marathon course in 2023.

Race day conditions featured clear skies, a slight tailwind, and temperatures rising from around freezing to 45°F (7°C) by the start. Organizers consulted a crowd scientist to reduce bottlenecks on narrow sections of the course. A new statue of marathon pioneer Bobbi Gibb, the first statue on the course honoring a woman, was installed at the start line for the 130th edition of the world's oldest annual marathon.