On the 2026 Boston Marathon on Monday, nothing is for certain within the elite ladies’s race. Will Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi defend her crown–and even take down her course file? Will an American finish the drought and attain the rostrum for the primary time since Des Linden’s victory in 2018?
High elite ladies’s contenders
After ending runner-up to Kenyan compatriot Hellen Obiri in 2024, Lokedi took the Boston win in 2025, setting a blistering course file of two:17:22. In truth, all three podium finishers ran underneath the earlier course file of two:19:59. The win marked Lokedi’s second marathon main victory, including to her New York Metropolis win in 2022, and third consecutive podium at Boston; she additionally positioned fourth on the Paris Olympics.
Lokedi was compelled to accept second to Obiri, who shattered a 22-year-old course fileat November’s New York Metropolis Marathon. However with Obiri opting to race London this 12 months as a substitute of Boston, the title is Lokedi’s to lose.
Kenya’s Irine Cheptai, fourth in Boston final 12 months, can also be a sub-2:18 athlete, proudly owning a 2:17:51 private greatest from Chicago 2024, as does Ethiopia’s two-time marathon main medallist Workenesh Edessa (2:17:55).
Different names to observe embody four-time Olympic observe medallist Vivian Cheruiyot (2:18:31), Ethiopia’s Bedatu Hirpa (2:18:27) and five-time Boston top-10 finisher Mary Ngugi-Cooper of Kenya (2:19:26). Nice Britain’s Calli Hauger-Thackery can also be coming off a powerful 12 months that included a sixth-place Boston end and wins on the Honolulu and Houston Marathons.
One of many strongest American contingents ever
American file holder Emily Sisson (2:18:29) headlines one of many deepest U.S. contingents we’ve ever seen at Boston, which incorporates each your entire U.S. 2024 Olympic marathon and world championship groups.
The 2 prime American finishers from Boston 2025 are again: Jess McClainwho took seventh in a private greatest of two:22:43, and Annie Frisbiewho positioned eighth in 2:23:21. Fiona O’Keeffe (2:22:10) can even be a powerful contender for that prime American spot, coming off a really sturdy fourth-place end at NYC in November, as will world championship fourth-place runner Susanna Sullivan (2:21:56). Sara Corridor (2:20:32), Erika Kemp (2:22:56) and Dakotah Popehn (2:24:20) can even be within the combine.
No American lady has taken the ladies’s title or landed on the rostrum since Linden gained in 2018. After asserting 2025 could be her closing look in Boston, Linden might be again for her thirteenth go on the race on Monday–this time on very drained legs, recent off the Marathon des Sables (a seven day, 250K+ ultramarathon by the Sahara desert).
Canadian elites to observe
With solely two Canadian elites on the boys’s aspect, Canada boasts 5 athletes within the ladies’s elite area. The contingent might be led by Moorefield, Ont.’s Carolyn Buchanan, the primary Canadian lady ultimately April’s London Marathon; she holds a private greatest of two:32:54, set on the 2025 California Worldwide Marathon. She’s improved her time by 10 minutes over the previous three years.
The sphere additionally contains two different sub-2:40 Canadian runners, Teagan Robertson (2:37:51) and Cassandra de Winter (2:39:52), and Calgary runners Leanne Klassen (2:40:56) and Polly Cunes (2:41:27).
Schedule + how one can watch
The 2026 Boston Marathon takes place on Monday, April 20.
(All instances in ET)
9:06 a.m. – Males’s wheelchair
9:09 a.m. – Girls’s wheelchair
9:37 a.m. – Skilled males
9:47 a.m. – Skilled ladies
9:50 a.m. – Para athletics
10:00 a.m. – Wave 1
For viewers in Canada, the race might be streamed dwell on TSN and Quebec’s RDS.
