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John Korir: My brother inspired me to victory at Boston Marathon
Kenya's John Korir (left) celebrates with his brother and former Boston Marathon winner Wesley Korir on the podium with the trophy after winning the men's elite race at the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Brothers John and Wesley join an exclusive group of siblings to have won the race since it was started 129 years ago.
- Lokedi on the other hand shook off a strong field that had defending champion Obiri to win in a course record of 2:17:22.
Kenya’s John Korir on Sunday won Boston Marathon 13 years later after his brother, Wesley Korir, stormed to victory in the same race in 2012.
Korir timed two hours, four minutes and 45 seconds to win ahead of Tanzania’s Simbu (2:05:04), Cyprian Kotut of Kenya (2:04:04). Brothers John and Wesley join an exclusive group of siblings to have won the race since it was started 129 years ago.
At the same time, 2022 New York Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi denied Hellen Obiri a third straight title, winning the women’s race in 2:17:22, with Obiri 19 seconds slower and Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:18:06) in third.
Kenya's John Korir crosses the finish line to win the men's category in Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025.
Korir, who finished fourth last year, said his elder brother has been an inspirational figure in his athletics career, telling him that he could always make it in the sport. True to Wesley’s words, John stormed to victory in Sunday's race.
“My brother Wesley, who won here in 2012, has always encouraged me to work hard, saying one day I will make it. I’m happy it has come to pass today,” John said.
“I’m so happy to have won the race and as I said earlier during the press conference, I was running for a course. I’m going to donate some of the money I have won today to the kids at Transcend Academy back home. They must be very happy after my win today,” he said.
Kenya's John Korir celebrates with his brother and former Boston Marathon winner Wesley Korir after winning the men's elite race at Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025.
Korir also revealed that a change in strategy to shift his training base to hilly places in Elgeyo Marakwet and Trans Nzoia Counties after winning the Chicago Marathon on a flat course last year worked for him.
Despite falling down at the start, the 29-year-old Korir broke from the leading pack at the 32km mark, and employed searing pace which he maintained to the finish line
His coach Boniface Tiren said: “He has been training in hilly places. I knew he was preparing to surprise the world. When I saw him breaking, I knew he already had it in store. I’m happy for him.”
Lokedi on the other hand shook off a strong field that had defending champion Obiri to win in a course record of 2:17:22. Obiri came in second after timing 2:17:41 with Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:18:06).
Race winner Korir and Lokedi will pocket US$ 150,000 (Sh19.5m) each for their exploits. Simbu and Obiri collected US$ 75,000 (Sh9.6m) each, while Kotut and Yehualaw will go home US$ 40,000 (Sh5.2m) richer.
Kenya's Sharon Lokedi and John Korir pose with the trophy after winning the 2025 Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025.
Kenyans Irene Cheptai who crossed the line in 2:21:32 while Stacy Ndiwa finished ninth after clocking 2:23:29.
That means, apart from prize money of Sh19,455,000 ($150,000), Lokedi will also get a bonus of Sh6,478,072 ($50,000) for breaking the course record.
In a post-race interview, Lokedi said she was feeling strong during the race thanking her compatriot Obiri who hung on with her to the last kilometre.
Kenya's Sharon Lokedi crosses the finish line to win the women's elite race at the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025.
“It was a tough race and challenging but it was a good thong hanging on together pushing the pace and I didn’t even believe that we were crossing the half mark at 68:00. As we kept going I just knew it was first until I saw the clock when I was crossing the line and I knew that I had run fast,” said Lokedi, whose mother Rose Lokedi was at the finish line to receive her.
This is not the first time the two were competing, last year, the two also competed to the last kilometre before Obiri surged forward to win the race.
During the Olympic Games in Paris last year, the two representing Kenya with Peres Jepchirchir managed to also run side by side where Obiri finished third winning a bronze medal with Lokedi coming in fourth place.
