John Korir smashes Boston Marathon record and Sharon Lokedi also repeats

Korir and Lokedi each won $150,000 and a gilded olive wreath sent from the plains of Marathon, Greece. Korir will receive another $50,000 for the course record.

Kenyan long-distance runner John Korir took 70 seconds off Geoffrey Mutai's 15-year-old Boston Marathon record. Pic: Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty Images

Defending champion John Korir shattered the Boston Marathon course record on Monday, riding a tailwind to outrun the strongest field in race history and win in 2:01.52 seconds — the fifth-fastest marathon of all time.

Sharon Lokedi joined her fellow Kenyan as a back-to-back champion, winning the women’s race in 2:18.51. Zouhair Talbi and Jess McClain ran the fastest times ever for Americans, in the men’s and women’s races, respectively.