Former Kansas track star Sharon Lokedi wins Boston Marathon in record time

One Kansas track and field alumnus had one of the biggest moments in her career on Monday at the 2025 Boston Marathon in Massachusetts.

Former KU track star and Kenya native Sharon Lokedi set a new Boston Marathon record in the women’s division as she won the race with a final time of 2:17:22, breaking the previous record set by Buzunesh Deba (Ethiopia) in 2014 by more than two and a half minutes (2:19:59).

Lokedi beat two-time Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri, who she finished runner up to in last year’s race. Lokedi shaved off more than five minutes from last year’s time of 2:22:45 in what was just her fifth World Marathon major appearance.

This is the second Major win of Lokedi’s career since winning the New York City Marathon in 2022 with a time of 2:23:23. Lokedi also finished fourth in the marathon race at the Olympic Games in Paris this past summer with a time of 2:23:14.

"It feels so great, I can't believe it," Lokedi said following the race. "It was tough. I just wanted to give my best and fight to the end… They kept the pace honest, and I really liked that. We just fought to the end."

Lokedi’s time as a Jayhawk

Lokedi is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Kansas Athletics.

As a freshman at KU, Lokedi was named to the 2015 Cross Country All-Big 12 First Team and was First Team All-America. The following year, Lokedi won the indoor 5,000-meter run at the Big 12 Championships and was named to First Team All-America for the 5,000-meter. She also won the 2016 outdoor 10,000-meter and was named First Team All-America again.

By the end of her collegiate career as a Jayhawk in 2018, Lokedi earned First Team All-American honors an incredible seven times between cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.

She capped off her senior year by winning the 2018 Outdoor NCAA title in the 10,000-meter and recorded the sixth best time in NCAA indoor history for the 5,000-meter with a time of 15:15.47.

Lokedi holds multiple school records, including the indoor records for the 5,000-meter, distance medley relay, and 3,000-meter – along with the KU outdoor records in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter.

It’s safe to say, Lokedi has made her alma mater proud time and time again – and Jayhawk fans should forever recognize her as one of the greatest former KU athletes of all time.