John Korir ready for Boston Marathon title defense after Sirikwa Classic exploits
Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 18.02.26. | 17:40
Making his cross-country debut, Korir stormed to victory in the senior men’s 10km race after clocking 29:44
Reigning Boston Marathon champion John Korir has declared himself ready for another title push after delivering a dominant performance at the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour Gold held on Saturday, 14 February at the Lobo Village in Eldoret.
Kenyan fans were treated to a rare sight as the eighth-fastest marathoner in history lined up at a domestic cross-country meet, and he did not disappoint.
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Making his cross-country debut, Korir stormed to victory in the senior men’s 10km race after clocking 29:44.
Korir was fresh from his Valencia Marathon triumph in December 2025, where he posted a personal best of 2:02:24.
He was using the Sirikwa outing as a key checkpoint in preparations for his Boston Marathon title defense slated for Monday, 20 April.
He opened aggressively, covering the first lap in 6:23 minutes before dipping to 5:55 minutes in the second.
Korir maintained control with a 5:58-minute third lap, then shifted gears late, powering through the final stages with splits of 5:48 minutes and 5:32 minutes to seal the win.
“This race was part of my preparation for defending my Boston Marathon title, so I came here primarily to gauge my current shape and fitness. Interestingly, this was my first cross-country race ever, and to come out with a win feels incredible. I am feeling very happy and satisfied with how it went,” he said after the win.
Korir admitted he arrived without expectations of victory.
“Honestly, I did not expect to win. During warm-ups, some of the guys were joking, saying, ‘This is not a marathon, it is across country.’ I just told them that if they pushed me to the 6km mark, they would not see me again; my body responds best as I approach the 10km distance. Everything felt right today, and it’s a great confidence boost as I look ahead to Boston,” he continued.
Former Sirikwa Classic Under-18 champion Amos Kiprotich finished second in 29:46, edging Silas Senchura by a photo finish. Defending champion Daniel Ebenyo faded to fifth in 29:57.
Come April, Korir will arrive in Boston on the back of a spectacular run.
His 2:04:45 victory there last year was followed by another major triumph at the Chicago Marathon six months later, before he capped his 2025 campaign with the Valencia win and personal best.
Eight of the top ten finishers from last year’s Boston race will return for the World Athletics Platinum Label event.
Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu, second in Boston last year, is back, alongside Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut, who finished third.
The field is stacked with pedigree, led by Benson Kipruto, the 2021 Boston champion and the only man to have won all three US-based Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Also lining up are Dutch star Abdi Nageeye, the 2021 Olympic silver medallist and 2024 New York City Marathon winner, Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros, and Lemi Berhanu, returning a decade after his 2016 Boston victory.
Making his Boston debut is Alex Masai, who impressed with a 2:04:37 third-place finish in Chicago last year.
With 25 elite men boasting sub-2:07 credentials, the stage is set for a blockbuster race.