John Korir

John Korir is a Kenyan middle-distance runner who put his name on the world map thanks to an extraordinary 2024.

The athlete not only upheld Kenya's famous reputation for producing top runners this year, he did so in style by shattering his own record.

Born in Kitale in 1996, there were hints that Korir was destined for greatness as he followed in the footsteps of his older brother Wesley Korir, who famously won the Boston Marathon in 2012.

John also featured in the Boston Marathon in 2012, but narrowly missed out on a top-three finish.

The 27-year-old recently won his first marathon title, coming first in the Chicago Marathon with a personal best time of 2:02:43.

To put his time into perspective, it was the second-fastest time ever run in the Chicago Marathon, coming second only to the late Kelvin Kiptum.

Korir also became the sixth-fastest male marathon runner in history in 2024 thanks to his Chicago Marathon feat.

Some of his other notable accomplishments include winning the Los Angeles Marathon twice, in 2021 and 2022.

Part of his success can be attributed to a focused training programme by his coach, Ron Mann, who previously served as the head coach of the University of Louisville.