Sharon Lokedi of Kenya emerged victorious in a captivating contest against her compatriot and two-time defending champion, Hellen Obiri, at the Boston Marathon, during which she also set a new course

Sharon Lokedi of Kenya emerged victorious in an exhilarating contest against her compatriot and two-time defending champion, Hellen Obiri, at the Boston Marathon, breaking the course record in the process.

Lokedi pulled ahead of her rival in the final stages and finished with a time of 2:17:22, surpassing Buzunesh Deba’s previous record from 2014 by more than two and a half minutes.

This victory marks Lokedi’s second major marathon win, following her triumph in New York in 2022, and serves as a redemption for her second-place finish to Obiri in last year’s race.

The 31-year-old remarked, “I am always second to her, and today I thought: There is no way. I just needed to give it my all, fight until the end, and see the outcome. I am so pleased to have run that fast, and she was right behind me. We all fought hard and desired this victory immensely.”

Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw secured third place with a time of 2:18:06, still well within the bounds of the previous course record.

The leading group commenced the race at a rapid pace, passing the halfway point in 1:08:46. As the race progressed into the challenging hilly sections, the field began to thin out, ultimately leaving Lokedi and Obiri to contend for the win.