US women dominated the 2026 Boston Marathon results on Monday, with four runners cracking the Top 10 — and Arizona-born Jess McClain shattering the US course record.

McClain finished fifth overall in 2:20:49, breaking Shalane Flanagan's 2014 mark by 1:13. The performance marked McClain's second consecutive year as the top US finisher in Boston.

"I had no idea how fast I was running, so I was very pleasantly surprised when I got to the finish and realized what the official time was," McClain said afterwards.

The 34-year-old faced adversity when she missed her water bottle at the 30-kilometer aid station. She fell to the back of the lead pack, before subsequently fighting back into contention in the Newton hills.

Three other US women joined McClain at the top of the Boston Marathon results. Annie Frisbie finished eighth in 2:22:00, before Emily Sisson placed ninth in 2:22:39, and Carrie Ellwood rounded out the Top 10 with a 10th-place finish in 2:22:53.

Kenya's Sharon Lokedi defended her 2025 title by winning the race in 2:18:51 — the fourth-fastest women's time in Boston Marathon history. Fellow Kenyans Loice Chemnung and Mary Ngugi-Cooper completed the podium sweep.

Monday's Boston Marathon results showcased the depth of US distance running. Seven US women finished in the elite field, demonstrating the host country's growing marathon prowess.

Kenya's Sharon Lokedi defended her Boston Marathon title on Monday, leading the 2026 results with a dominant wire-to-wire performance. The Boston Marathon winner clocked 2 hours, 18 minutes and 51 seconds — the fourth-fastest women's time in race history.

Lokedi led an all-Kenyan podium sweep at the 130th Boston Marathon, with Loice Chemnung finishing second at 2:19:35 while Mary Ngugi-Cooper claimed third at 2:20:07.

"I was very tired, I didn't know if I had it today," the celebrated distance runner said afterwards. "But I felt like this was it. I was either going to go or I was going to stay."

The defending champion forgot her watch on race day. She borrowed one at the last minute, but subsequently never checked her splits during the race.

"I knew I was going fast, I just didn't know how fast I was going," Lokedi said.

Arizona native Jess McClain stole the Boston Marathon results spotlight by shattering the US course record. She finished fifth overall in 2:20:49, breaking Shalane Flanagan's 2014 mark by 1:13.

McClain improved her time by 1:54 over last year's seventh-place finish. She topped the US field for the second consecutive year.

"To run the time that I knew was in me, at some point in the wheelhouse of what I can do, is really awesome," McClain said after.

Three other US women's runners cracked the Top 10 on Monday. Annie Frisbie finished eighth at 2:22:00, Emily Sisson placed ninth at 2:22:39, and Carrie Ellwood rounded out the Top 10 at 2:22:53.

London Follows Boston Marathon on 2026 World Majors Calendar

The 2026 season continues this weekend, as the London Marathon — the next World Marathon Major on the calendar — kicks off on April 26th.

The 2025 New York City Marathon not only crowned its champion on Sunday, the race also saw a new course record as Kenya's Hellen Obiri crossed the Central Park finish line with a time of 2:19.51 — shattering fellow Kenyan Margaret Okayo's 2003 record by a full two minutes and 40 seconds.

Returning to the top of the New York marathon field after first winning the race in 2023, 2024 runner-up Obiri led a Kenyan contingent that swept the podium, as 2022 winner Sharon Lokedi trailed by a mere 16 seconds while 2024 champion Sheila Chepkirui claimed third with a time of 2:20:24 — all three blasting through the previous course record of 2:22.31.

"We had a very strong field," said Obiri following the race. "[I told myself] let me try to do my best, let me push."

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With her championship, Obiri claimed both the $100,000 winner's check as well as an additional $50,000 in prize money for breaking the course record.

Though the 2025 New York City Marathon marked the second straight year that Kenyan runners owned the podium, Fiona O'Keeffe also made history by setting a a new US course record with her fourth-place finish.

Finishing the five-borough race in 2:22.49, O'Keeffe shaved nearly two minutes off the previous US record of 2:24:42 — set in 2021 by Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel.

"I can't take too much credit for the time — that was all on the women ahead of me," O'Keeffe said, sharing the spotlight with the runners who pushed her on Sunday. "Grateful to be back in the marathon. Feels like coming home."

After two stretch breaks and one near-collision with a motorbike, Sifan Hassan somehow managed to win the 2023 London Marathon on Sunday.

Competing in her marathon debut — against one of the deepest women’s fields in history — Hassan outsprinted Alemu Megertu of Ethiopia and Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya to cross the tape first.

“I just can’t believe I (won),” said Hassan, who then revised that statement. “Not win, I just can’t believe I finished (a) marathon.”

Hassan stopped twice during Sunday’s marathon to stretch her left hip and, with 11 miles left to go, was 28 seconds behind the lead pack. After catching back up, Hassan was then nearly taken out by a motorbike when she darted to the hydration station two miles left.

“This morning I was telling myself, I’m so stupid (to run a marathon). Why am I playing this kind of game? What the hell am I thinking that I want to run a marathon,” said Hassan, whose career was previously focused on the track. The Dutchwoman had an unprecedented showing at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, winning gold in the 5000m and 10,000m, and bronze in the 1500m.