Sharon Lokedi Repeats as Boston Marathon Champion, Builds KU Legacy

Sharon Lokedi just keeps stacking history. The former Kansas star went back to Boston and did it again, winning the 2026 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:18:51. That makes it back-to-back titles, something the race has not seen on the women’s side since the early 2000s. And she did not just win, she controlled it late and pulled away over the final miles.

She was second only to her own course record from last year, which tells you everything about the level she is running at right now. When the race hit the closing stretch, Lokedi separated and never looked back. Loice Chemnung finished second at 2:19:35 and Mary Ngugi-Cooper came in third at 2:20:07, but this one was Lokedi’s race down the stretch. After the race, she kept it simple and real.

“I just kept telling myself be patient, be humble, you’ve got this,” Lokedi said. “There was a little girl out there that yelled you’ve got this ladies and that was what I needed.”

That moment kind of sums up her run. Calm, locked in, and then dominant when it mattered most.

This win gives her three World Marathon Major titles when you add in Boston last year and her 2022 New York City Marathon win. She is not just winning races anymore, she is building a résumé that puts her in the conversation with the best in the world right now.

And for Kansas, this is one of those moments you point to when talking about all time greats. Lokedi’s career in Lawrence was already elite. Multiple Big 12 titles, national championship, school records that still stand. Now she is taking that same dominance to the global stage.

At this point, Hall of Fame at KU feels like a lock. But honestly, she is pushing beyond that. She is turning into one of the top distance runners in the world, and she is doing it in a way that is hard to ignore.

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Kansas Target Tyran Stokes Wins Jordan Brand Classic MVP

Tyran Stokes’ recruitment has dragged out longer than most expected, but we’re finally getting closer to the finish line, and right now, Kansas looks like it has real momentum. He has now set his three school: Kentucky, Kansas and Oregon

Stokes, the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class, is coming off a huge showing at the Jordan Brand Classic, where he took home MVP honors with 29 points and 9 rebounds. Performances like that are exactly why programs like Kansas and Kentucky have been battling for him for over a year.

As of now, there’s still no official decision, but the noise around his recruitment is starting to lean toward Kansas. Multiple national voices, including Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68, have labeled the Jayhawks as the “heavy favorite.” Even Kentucky-based media has started to give KU the edge, which says a lot this late in the process.

The biggest turning point may have already happened, Stokes leaving his visit to Kentucky without committing. That felt like the Wildcats’ best chance to lock him in, and when it didn’t happen, the door swung open for Kansas again.

There’s been some chatter about Nike vs. Adidas playing a role, but honestly, if that’s a deciding factor, that raises bigger questions. What matters more is fit, development, and coaching—and that’s where Bill Self stands out. He’s built a reputation on getting the most out of high-level, sometimes challenging players. That’s something analysts keep pointing to with Stokes.

Goodman even questioned whether Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is the right personality fit, suggesting Stokes may need a tougher coaching style—something Self has proven he can provide.

Kansas has also held a crystal ball prediction for Stokes for a while now, and those projections still haven’t flipped. With a high accuracy rate behind them, that’s another sign pointing toward Lawrence.

At the end of the day, nothing is official yet. Stokes has kept things unpredictable the entire time, and until he announces, both schools are still alive. But if you’re reading the situation right now, Kansas feels like it’s in the driver’s seat. Now it’s just a waiting game.