Kenya's Sharon Lokedi Wins the Womens 2026 Boston Marathon With a Time of 2:18:51

Sharon Lokedi won the 2026 Boston Marathon on , marking her second consecutive victory at the event. Lokedi finished with a time of 2:18:51. She broke away from the lead pack late in the race, around the 21-mile mark, eventually winning by 44 seconds over runner-up Loice Chemnung. Lokedi opened a wide gap as the race went on and broke the tape a comfortable distance ahead of the competition. Her victory follows a record-setting performance in 2025, where she set a course record of 2:17:22.

 

• Historical Context: With this win, she became the first woman to successfully defend her Boston Marathon title since Catherine Ndereba in 2004–2005.

It was near the top of Heartbreak Hill that Lokedi began to assert herself, and by 35K only countrywomen Loice Chemnung, Irine Cheptai and Mary Ngugi-Cooper accompanied her.

But not for long: by Mile 23, Lokedi – in a borrowed watch, after realizing on the bus to the start line that she had forgotten hers – was in control, her 8-second lead over Boston rookie Chemnung looking secure.

“I just had to be patient,” said the 32-year-old repeat champion of the race’s early miles. “After I broke, I was like ‘I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but I’m just gonna follow the car.”

Chemnung would finish second in 2:19:35 and Ngugi-Cooper in 2:20:07, moving to #5 and #6 on the race’s all-time list.

https://www.baa.org/

Africa Team