The second stop of the 2026 Abbott World Marathon Major circuit is just days away, and basically the entire running world will be, both physically and emotionally, heading to the Boston Marathon. Eight of last year’s top-10 Boston Marathon finishers in the men’s field will be returning to the start line in Hopkinton, Mass., including all three podium placers and Canada’s Rory Linkletter. Ontario’s Ben Preisner will also make his world major debut.
John Korir wins the 2025 Boston Marathon. Photo: Kevin Morris
Can Korir defend his title?
Headlining the field is reigning champion John Korir, who won last year’s race in the second-fastest time in history. The Kenyan comes in hot off a victory at the Valencia Marathon in December, where he ran his 2:02:24 personal best. He also won Chicago in 2024.
Korir’s brother, Wes Korir, won Boston in 2012, making them the first brothers to claim the title.
Last year’s Boston runner-up and Tokyo 2025 world champion Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania (2:04:38 PB) will also be back in the mix, alongside defending third-place finisher Cybrian Kotut of Kenya (2:03:22 PB). The pair closed out last year’s race with a sprint finish.
Alphonce Felix Simbu of Tanzania and Cybrian Kotut of Kenya finish second and third at the 2025 Boston Marathon. Photo: Kevin Morris
Kenya’s Benson Kipruto enters with the fastest time in the field, 2:02:16; he is the first person to win all three American marathon majors (Boston 2021, Chicago 2022, New York City 2025). In 2024, he also won the Tokyo Marathon and Olympic bronze, and is a former Toronto Waterfront Marathon champion.
Other notable entrants include Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medallist and NYC 2024 champion Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands (2:04:20), Sydney 2025 champion Hailemaryam Kiros of Ethiopia (2:04:35) and Kenya’s Alex Masai, who took third at Chicago 2025 in his 2:04:37 PB. With American record holder and last year’s fourth-place finisher Conner Mantz out with an injury, Clayton Young comes in as the top runner from the U.S. contingent.
Ethiopia’s 2016 Boston Marathon champion Lemi Berhanu is slated to return to the start line, marking 10 years since his victory.
Photo: Kevin Morris
Canadians aim to make big moves in Boston
Last year, Calgary’s Linkletter delivered the fastest Boston performance ever by a Canadian, placing sixth in 2:07:02. The performance smashed his top-10 goal, marked a 59-second personal best and, at the time, marked the second-fastest marathon in Canadian history.
Linkletter has since improved that mark, running 2:06:49 for ninth at the 2025 Chicago Marathon. He still sits second behind Cam Levins’s 2:05:36 national record. This year, Linkletter returns to Boston with a much bigger goal: hunting down a spot on the podium.
Preisner, Canada’s third-fastest marathoner, will be making his world major debut. The Oakville, Ont., native owns a 2:08 PB and has represented Canada at three World Championships and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. He’s been sharing his Boston marathon training plans on his new Instagram account, @bensmarathontraining.
Ben Preisner at Tokyo 2020. Photo: Athletics Canada
Schedule + how to watch
The 2026 Boston Marathon takes place on Monday, April 20.
(All times in ET)
9:06 a.m. – Men’s wheelchair
9:09 a.m. – Women’s wheelchair
9:37 a.m. – Professional men
9:47 a.m. – Professional women
9:50 a.m. – Para athletics
10:00 a.m. – Wave 1
For viewers in Canada, the race will be streamed live on TSN and Quebec’s RDS.
Watch this space Thursday for our elite women’s preview.