Sports News

Korir breaks the Boston course record as he and Lokedi both defend their titles

Kenya's John Korir won the 130th Boston Marathon on Monday, 20 April, in 2:01:52, a course record and the fastest finish in the race's history, WBUR reported. Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu was second, 55 seconds back, and 2021 champion Benson Kipruto third. Both of them also went under the old course record.

Sharon Lokedi of Kenya defended her women's title in 2:18:51, ahead of Loice Chemnung and Mary Ngugi-Cooper for a Kenyan podium sweep. Just Women's Sports reported that Lokedi led from start to finish after forgetting her watch and borrowing one at the last minute. In the wheelchair races, Marcel Hug won his ninth Boston title and Britain's Eden Rainbow-Cooper her second, according to WBUR.

“When they told me I had run the course record, that's when I started to be happy.” — John Korir, via WBUR

American runners had a strong day. Jess McClain was fifth in 2:20:49 and broke Shalane Flanagan's 2014 US course record by 1:13. FloTrack counted four American women in the top 10. It also reported that Zouhair Talbi (2:03:45) and Charles Hicks (2:04:35) both beat Conner Mantz's American best from last year's race.

How each outlet framed it

• WBUR — Boston's public radio: the record, prize money and all four divisions.
• Just Women's Sports — the women's race: Lokedi's borrowed watch and McClain's US record.
• FloTrack — results for running fans: two repeat champions and how deep the US field was.

Where the numbers differ: Just Women's Sports called Lokedi's 2:18:51 the fourth-fastest women's time in race history. FloTrack called it the second-fastest winning time. The two may be measuring different things.