Photo: Margot Murphy
The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has officially pulled back the curtain on the professional fields for the 130th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. As we look toward April 20, 2026, the lineup promises to be a masterclass in distance running, featuring a collision of defending champions, training partners with shared podium ambitions, and history-makers.
The Men’s Open: Championship Pedigree and Tactical Alliances
The men’s division features 25 athletes with personal bests under 2:07:00, but the narrative centers on a blend of defending dominance and tactical partnerships.
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The Defending Champion: John Korir (Kenya) returns to defend his title. Korir is in peak form, fresh off a blistering 2:02:24 victory in Valencia that moved him to eighth on the world all-time list.
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The Return of a King: Benson Kipruto (Kenya), the only man to have won all three American Abbott World Marathon Majors (Boston, Chicago, and NYC), returns to the Hopkinton start line for the first time since 2023.
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A Podium Duo: Adding a fascinating tactical layer is Cyprian Kotut, who finished 3rd in Boston last year in a thrilling sprint finish. As a training partner of Kipruto, their shared knowledge of the course and each other’s strengths makes them the duo to beat.
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Rising Talent: The field is bolstered by the arrival of Alex Masai (3rd in Chicago ’25 in 2:04:37), Wesley Kiptoo, and Daniel Mesfun—three names that have shown they can compete with the world’s best on any given day.
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A Canadian Milestone: International eyes will be on Rory Linkletter. Linkletter arrives with massive momentum after becoming the first Canadian in history to break the one-hour barrier in the half marathon, clocking a stunning 59:49 this January.
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The American Charge: U.S. Record Holder Conner Mantz leads the domestic hunt. After a gutsy fourth-place finish last year, Mantz is looking to build on his new 2:04:43 American Record to end the U.S. podium drought.
The Women’s Open: The Deepest U.S. Field in History
While the international field is headlined by course record holder Sharon Lokedi (2:17:22) and the legendary Vivian Cheruiyot, the headline for American fans is the unprecedented volume of elite domestic talent.
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The Olympic Trio: For the first time, the entire 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon team—Emily Sisson, Fiona O’Keeffe, and Dakotah Popehn—will line up together in Boston.
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Unrivaled Depth: A record 13 American women in the field have run under 2:26:00. This “Dream Team” includes veterans Keira D’Amato and Sara Hall, as well as Jess McClain, who was the top American finisher in Boston last year.
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International Stars: Kenya’s Irine Cheptai, who recently set a PB of 2:17:51 in Chicago, will be a primary challenger to Lokedi’s attempt at a repeat victory.
By The Numbers: #Boston130
There are 25 men in the field with sub-2:07 personal bests. The women’s side features 11 athletes with sub-2:20 personal bests. A total of 18 countries will be represented in the professional fields. There are 4 defending champions across the Open and Wheelchair divisions returning to the start line. Rory Linkletter is the only Canadian in history to have broken the 60-minute half-marathon barrier, a mark he brings to this year’s race.
Elite Watch List
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John Korir (KEN): 2:02:24 PB. Defending Boston Champion.
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Benson Kipruto (KEN): 2:02:16 PB. Only man to win all three U.S. Majors.
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Abdi Nageeye (NED): 2:04:20 PB. 2024 NYC Marathon Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist.
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Conner Mantz (USA): 2:04:43 PB. Current American Record Holder; 4th in Boston last year.
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Cyprian Kotut (KEN): 2:03:22 PB. 3rd place in Boston 2025; training partner to Kipruto.
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Rory Linkletter (CAN): 2:06:49 PB. First Canadian to break 60:00 in the Half Marathon (59:49).
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Sharon Lokedi (KEN): 2:17:22 PB. Defending Champion and Course Record Holder.
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Irine Cheptai (KEN): 2:17:51 PB. 3rd in Chicago ’24 and 4th in Boston ’25.
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Emily Sisson (USA): 2:18:29 PB. Women’s American Record Holder.
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Fiona O’Keeffe (USA): 2:22:10 PB. 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion.
Stay tuned to Marathon Journal for exclusive athlete interviews and our deep dive into the Wheelchair and Para Athletics Divisions next.
