Who is the greatest Boston Marathon champion of all time?

A century of marathon greatness: wheelchair trailblazers, multi-time champions from five continents, and an emotional American comeback — this list spans every era of Boston race history. Who's the greatest?

1. 1
   Clarence DeMar

   The most decorated Boston Marathon men's champion ever, winning a record seven times between 1911 and 1930, earning him the nickname 'Mr. DeMarathon.'
2. 2
   Catherine Ndereba

   Kenyan runner who won the Boston Marathon four times (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005), the most victories in the women's open division in race history.
3. 3
   Bill Rodgers

   American running legend who won Boston four consecutive times from 1975 to 1980, becoming a symbol of the 1970s running boom and earning the nickname 'Boston Billy.'
4. 4
   Joan Benoit Samuelson

   American marathon pioneer who won Boston in 1979 and 1983, and went on to win the first-ever Olympic women's marathon gold medal in 1984.
5. 5
   Ernst van Dyk

   South African wheelchair racer who won the Boston Marathon's men's wheelchair division a record ten times, cementing his status as the greatest para-athlete in race history.
6. 6
   Jean Driscoll

   American wheelchair racer who won the women's wheelchair division a record seven consecutive times (1990–1996) and holds the record for most consecutive Boston victories by any athlete.
7. 7
   John Korir

   Kenyan runner who won back-to-back Boston Marathons in 2025 and 2026, setting a course record of 2:01:52 in 2026, the fastest time ever run on the Boston course.
8. 8
   Bob Cheruiyot

   Kenyan runner who won the Boston Marathon four times (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008), joining the elite group of men's multiple champions in race history.
9. 9
   Rosa Mota

   Portuguese marathon legend who won Boston three times (1987, 1988, 1990) and is widely regarded as one of the greatest female marathon runners in the sport's history.
10. 10
    Uta Pippig

    German runner who won Boston three consecutive times (1994, 1995, 1996) and is remembered for her perseverance in completing the 1996 race despite illness.
11. 11
    Fatuma Roba

    Ethiopian runner who won Boston three consecutive times (1997, 1998, 1999), becoming the first African woman to win an Olympic marathon gold medal (1996 Atlanta).
12. 12
    Sharon Lokedi

    Kenyan runner who won the Boston Marathon women's title in 2022, 2025, and 2026, establishing herself as one of the dominant forces in modern road racing.
13. 13
    Meb Keflezighi

    American distance runner who won the 2014 Boston Marathon in an emotionally charged race, becoming the first American man to win Boston since 1983, one year after the bombings.
14. 14
    Ibrahim Hussein

    Kenyan runner who won Boston three times (1988, 1991, 1992) and was the first African to win a major marathon, revolutionizing the global distance running landscape.
15. 15
    Cosmas Ndeti

    Kenyan runner who won Boston three consecutive times (1993, 1994, 1995) and set a course record in 1994, making him one of the most dominant men's champions of the 1990s.