Everything you need to know ahead of Boston

Three champions will return to the notoriously hilly course to defend their Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America titles this year.

John Korir, Sharon Lokedi and Marcel Hug will be the athletes to beat on Patriots Day while the women’s wheelchair field has opened up following Susannah Scaroni’s withdrawal.

Further back in the field, more than 1,700 athletes will be completing their Six Star Journey in Boston – a record number for that race.

King Korir

Korir had a mixed 2025 which began in sublime fashion with victory in Boston and ended with a rapid 2:02:24 to win in Valencia – 20 seconds quicker than his personal best.

That victory would have gone some way to exorcising any demons which were left lingering after Chicago, where, having started as favourite and led at the 25km mark, he was overtaken by eventual winner Jacob Kiplimo and stepped off the track.

The 25km mark proved to be a useful guide in Valencia too, but this time for better reasons, as Korir pulled clear at this stage to rack up a second win of the year.

Fellow Kenyan Benson Kipruto is the fastest and most decorated runner in the men’s field. Like Korir, Kipruto is a former Boston champion, having won in 2021, and he has gone on to win Chicago, Tokyo and New York. The last of those victories, in November last year, was a thrilling sprint finish with Alex Mutiso where the pair finished with the same time.

World Champion Alphonce Felix Simbu and Cybrian Kotut, who both finished in 2:05:04 in Boston last year – Simbu just edged second place – return to New England hoping to leave with the famous gold wreath.

Pair ready to duke it out once more

Two of the best women’s marathon runners on the planet will renew their rivalry in Boston having been almost impossible to separate last year.

Lokedi had the better of Hellen Obiri in Boston, winning in a course record time to claim an impressive victory.

But Obiri, who Sifan Hassan playfully called ‘a beast’ in the pre-race press conference in New York, lived up to that tag to exact revenge, controlling an exciting race before breaking clear of Lokedi in Central Park to take a commanding win.

The pair were also joint AWMM Elite Series champions alongside Tigst Assefa.

There will be an intriguing battle to see who the leading American runner is with the full US World and Olympic squads taking to the road in Boston.

They will be headed up by national record holder Emily Sisson, Fiona O’Keeffe, who came fourth in New York and Susannah Sullivan, who just missed out on a podium finish at the World Championships in Tokyo.

Can anyone derail Hug?

Marcel Hug tightened his already python-like grip on wheelchair racing by winning last time out in Tokyo. It means he is the current holder of every Major title, going back to Boston last year.  

Hug’s dominant win in Japan was also his 43rd Major win of an already remarkable career which doesn’t show any sign of slowing down, despite just turning 40.

The Swiss heads into Boston having won eight times here including the last three races.

Local favourite Daniel Romanchuk, who has won Boston twice, will be trying to upset Hug and rediscover the winning feeling.

Catherine the Great

Scaroni missing out on Boston leaves the stage set for Catherine Debrunner to claim the only original Major she’s yet to win.

The Swiss star has won five of the six Majors, including Tokyo last month, and victory on Monday would complete a career grand slam.

Pushing her all the way will be Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper, who won Boston two years ago and finished runner-up behind Debrunner in Tokyo.

Six Stars shine bright

There will be 1,671 runners in Boston attempting to complete their Six Star Journey, which is a record high for that race.

That number includes Australia’s Lisa Weightman, a four-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games medallist.

Additionally there will be 41 runners trying to earn a second Six Star Medal at the most historic Major of them all.

What's it like running the Boston Marathon? Two Six Star Finishers explain all...

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