Boston Champions Ready to Race at 2026 B.A.A. 10K presented by Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute
BOSTON, MA (01 June) – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that champions and top international stars will take to the roads of Boston and Cambridge for the 2026 B.A.A. 10K presented by Mass General Brigham Cancer Instituteon Sunday, June 21. Headlining the field is two-time Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America champion Sharon Lokedi, fresh off a victory at April’s Patriots’ Day event.
“This year’s B.A.A. 10K will kick off the summer racing season, and brings together more than 90 of the most accomplished athletes in the sport,” said Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Chief Operating Officer. “Top athletes across the Open, Wheelchair, and Para Athletics Divisions from 21 countries will lead the way for a field of 10,000 participants on race day.”
Kenya’s Lokedi enters the B.A.A. 10K as defending champion, having covered the 6.2-mile course that spans Boston and Cambridge in 31:39 last year. This will be her first race back following her victory at the 130th Boston Marathon in 2:18:51 – the second fastest winning time in Boston Marathon history (only behind her 2:17:22 course record from 2025).
"Boston holds a special place in my heart, and I look forward to running through the city once again in June at the B.A.A. 10K," said Lokedi. "From the 10K to the Boston Marathon, the community comes alive every race day. I'm ready to give my best to defend my title.”
Facing off against Lokedi in the women’s field is top American Rachel Smith, runner-up at the Boston 5K in April and a 2021 Olympian. From Kenya are Gladys Kwamboka, the 2025 African champion at 10,000m, Stacy Ndiwa, B.A.A. 10K runner-up in 2023, and Viola Cheptoo, second at the 2019 Boston 5K. British Olympian Jessica Warner-Judd is also entered.
The professional men’s field represents 13 countries and features familiar and first-time faces to Boston. Ethiopia’s Dawit Seare, the 2025 Boston 5K champion, comes in with the fastest 10K in the field, having run 27:21. From Kenya are Alexander Mutiso, the 2024 London Marathon champion and runner-up at the TCS New York City Marathon last fall, as well as Patrick Kiprop, fifth place at April’s Boston 5K and winner of the BolderBoulder 10K on Memorial Day. Alex Masai (KEN), ninth at April’s Boston Marathon in 2:05:32, has finished in the top ten at the B.A.A. 10K three times.
South African Olympian Adriaan Wildschutt makes his B.A.A. 10K debut after a strong winter season where he won the NYC Half in 59:30 and placed 13th at the World Cross Country Championships. From Ethiopia is Hagos Gebrhiwet, an Olympic bronze medalist and two-time winner of the B.A.A. 5K, while Canadian Andrew Alexander enters after claiming the national 10K title on May 23. Also in the field is two-time U.S. Olympian Hillary Bor, a steeplechase specialist who has converted to the roads and placed second at the U.S. Half Marathon championships this year, as well as 2:05:46 marathoner Ryan Ford and reigning USA 25K national champion Andrew Colley.
A trifecta of B.A.A. runners enter after winning the Boston Marathon team title: Murphy Smith (2:08:58), Robert Miranda(2:09:40), and Barry Keane (2:13:01) are hometown favorites coming off a memorable 26.2-miles and train under B.A.A. coach and two-time Olympian Mark Carroll.
In the wheelchair race, both B.A.A. 10K defending champions return in Daniel Romanchuk and Tatyana McFadden. Between the pair are seven Boston Marathon wins. Romanchuk holds the 10K event record (20:17) while McFadden won the Boston 5K last month. Joining them in the field are Delmace Mayo, the fastest Bostonian from the 2026 Boston Marathon; Hermin Garic, a three-time winner from 2022-2024; Tony Nogueira, winner of five straight B.A.A. 10Ks from 2014-2018; as well as Yen Hoang and Hoda Elshorbagy, winners in 2023 and 2024 from the University of Illinois.
Mass.-native Brian Reynolds (T42-T44/T61-T64, lower limb impairment) set a T62 10K world record of 38:40 last year and returns with hopes to lower his mark in the Para Athletics Division. Also back are Para champions Atsbha Gebremeskel (T45-T47, upper limb impairment) and Cristina Burbach (T35-T38, coordination impairment). Among the winners from April’s Boston Marathon taking to the B.A.A. 10K are Marko Cheseto Lemtukei (T42-T44/T61-T64), Kelly Bruno (T42-T44/T61-T64), and Burbach.
Complete professional field lists can be found below and at www.baa.org.
The B.A.A. 10K presented by Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute will be the second event of the 2026 B.A.A. Distance Medley presented by Honda, a year-long series featuring the Boston 5K (April), B.A.A. 10K (June), and Boston Half (November). Media members interested in covering the B.A.A. 10K may apply for credentials here.
The race begins at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 21, starting on Charles Street and finishing adjacent to Boston Common (course map available here). The course winds through Boston and Cambridge along the Charles River, crossing the Longfellow and Mass. Ave. bridges and passes over the iconic Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street. A total of 10,000 athletes will take part in the B.A.A. 10K.
Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, the B.A.A. 10K’s presenting sponsor and exclusive fundraising partner, will again field a team of fundraising runners. Since 2016, more than 2,500 runners and 180 teams have raised $1.5 million to fuel life-giving breakthroughs through the B.A.A. 10K.
