The Relentless Rise of John Korir
John Korir has officially cemented his status as one of the greatest long-distance runners of our era. Following his recent, jaw-dropping performance yesterday on April 20, 2026, Korir has now secured four major career marathon victories, including a historic “three-peat” of World Marathon Major titles.
His winning streak includes:
- 2024 Chicago Marathon: His breakout major win ($2:02:44$).
- 2025 Valencia Marathon: A dominant performance in Spain ($2:02:24$).
- 2025 Boston Marathon: His first title on the historic hilly course.
- 2026 Boston Marathon: His most recent victory, where he set a staggering new course record of 2:01:52.
A Record-Breaking Monday
Korir’s victory at the 130th Boston Marathon was nothing short of legendary. By finishing in 2:01:52, he didn’t just win; he obliterated the previous course record ($2:03:02$) by over a minute. This win makes him the first back-to-back men’s champion in Boston since Evans Chebet in 2023, and notably, he and Sharon Lokedi became the first duo to both defend their titles in the same year since the mid-90s.
While the Boston course isn’t eligible for world records due to its elevation drop, Korir’s time is technically the fastest ever run on the course and ranks him among the five fastest marathoners in history.
The Korir Legacy
Running clearly runs in the family. With this win, John continues the legacy started by his older brother, Wesley Korir, who won the Boston Marathon in 2012. They are now the first pair of brothers to both hold titles in the world’s oldest annual marathon.
Wait—actually, I just realized I forgot his earlier win at the 2021 Los Angeles Marathon! If we’re counting his professional breakthrough wins outside of the “Majors” circuit, his total win count is actually five. He also won LA again in 2022. It’s easy to lose track when someone is winning this much, but it’s clear that whether it’s the flat streets of Chicago or the punishing hills of Newton, John Korir is currently the man to beat.
