# 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?

*By YPB Team · Published April 21, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-greatest-boston-marathon-champion-of-all-time*

---

## Current results (no votes yet)

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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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.

Tags: usa, sports, marathon