BOSTON, Massachusetts – In a thrilling finish at the 2025 Boston Marathon, Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi emerged victorious in the women’s race, defeating defending champion Hellen Obiri, who was aiming for a historic third consecutive title.
Lokedi crossed the finish line in a new course record time of 2:17:22, securing her first Boston win and breaking the previous record set by Buzunesh Deba in 2014.
Obiri, who had hoped to become the first woman since 1999 to win three straight Boston Marathon titles, finished a close second, just 19 seconds behind Lokedi.
Despite a strong start and maintaining a competitive pace throughout the race, Obiri could not hold off Lokedi’s electrifying surge in the final stretch.
In a post-race interview, Lokedi expressed her excitement: “It feels so good, so great. I can’t believe it, I’m so excited. I fought and wanted it so bad. I loved every part of this race.”
Lokedi, who won the 2022 New York Marathon in her debut at the distance, had previously finished behind Obiri several times, but today, she triumphed with a performance that left the Boston crowd cheering.
While Obiri’s quest for a third consecutive title came up short, her efforts solidified her place among the marathon elite, continuing her impressive career in long-distance running.
In the men’s race, John Korir of Kenya also made history with a dominant win, clocking 2:04:45 despite a fall at the start, securing his first Boston Marathon victory.
The race, widely regarded as one of the deepest in history, saw Korir overcome stiff competition, including Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu and fellow Kenyan Cybrian Kotut.
