Kenya’s John Korir win his first Men's Boston Marathon 2025 title with third-fastest time in the race’s history.
John Korir of Kenya pulled away Monday to win the 129th running of the Boston Marathon, surging through the hills outside of Boston to claim a dominant victory in a time of 2 hours, 4 minutes and 45 seconds.
Korir, 28, made a strong move around Mile 20 to separate himself from the rest of the frontrunners and build a sizable lead heading into the closing stretch. That gap, which was more than 50 seconds in the final few miles, proved to be more proved to be more than enough to hold off the chase pack that featured American Conner Mantz, among others. Mantz finished fourth.
Korir, who also won last year's Chicago Marathon, joins his older brother, Wesley, as the rare siblings to win the Boston Marathon. Wesley Korir won Boston in 2012.
With a sensational move at mile 20 — and holding the bib that fell off the front of his race kit — John Korir took home the men’s elite race at the 129th running of the Boston Marathon, pulling away to take down a world-class field in spectacular fashion with a finishing time of 2:04:45, the third-fastest time in the race’s history.
American Conner Mantz turned in a sensational performance, coming fourth in 2:05:08. Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu outsprinted Kenya’s CyBrian Kotut for second.
The brother of 2012 Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir, John Korir is snatched three miles away to comes at a dominant Boston Marathon victory — all without the bib he lost at a chaotic start to the men’s elite race.
After crossing the line, Korir was greeted by his older brother, 2012 Boston winner Wesley Korir. Although the race has been won by a pair of unrelated John Kelleys and two different Robert Cheruiyots, the Korirs are the first brothers — or relatives of any kind — to win the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon.
John Korir reflects on 2025 Marathon win, 13 years after brother’s victory, quotes
John Korir won the 2025 Boston Marathon in 2:04:45, his victory coming 13 years after his brother Wesley won here in 2012.
“For me, first I have to thank God for the good health and the win,” Korir began. “For us, two brothers winning Boston, I think we’re happy now.
“Today I dedicated the win to Transcend Talent Academy, as I said at the Friday press conference, I [will] donate money to Transcend Talent Academy, and I think my dream has come true.”
“For me, that was the plan. We plan that with my coach and my brother and everyone in my crew, we said at 20 miles I’d try to make the move, and that’s what I tried and it worked well. It was good and I’m happy. ... That was the plan, if I make the move I make a big gap, so nobody can close. It was good.”
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