Kenyan runner smashes course record at Manchester Road Race

On Thursday morning, a Kenyan runner achieved something no one had ever done in the 89-year history of the Manchester Road Race in Manchester, Conn. Edwin Kurgat became the first athlete to break 21 minutes on the race’s iconic 4.74-mile (7.61 km) course, stopping the clock at 20:54.

Kurgat led from the gun, earning the US$7,000 first-place prize, plus another $2,000 by taking down the previous course record of 21:04, set by newly minted American marathon record holder Conner Mantz back in 2022. Kurgat is also the first Kenyan man to win the race in seven years.

Edwin Kurgat wins the Manchester Road Race in a record time of 20:54 #mrr2025 pic.twitter.com/iKifSjSviV

— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) November 27, 2025

Three men from the professional field went under the mark: Great Britain’s David Mullarkey and 2023 champion Morgan Beadlescomb both dipped under the previous record, running 20:58 and 20:59 for second and third, respectively. Calgary’s Rory Linkletter finished ninth in 21:39.

Linkletter shared on Strava that he was happy with his result, but said he is still feeling fatigue from his 2:06:49 marathon PB at the 2025 Chicago Marathon six weeks ago. “Course record up front, and boy did my marathon legs feel it,” he wrote.

Kurgat is no stranger to success on the U.S. road scene. He represented Kenya at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing seventh in the 5,000m final, and is a former NCAA cross-country champion. He currently trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., with Under Armour’s pro team.

Kelati wins, for the fifth year in a row

In the women’s race, American distance runner Weini Kelati won her fifth consecutive Manchester Road Race title, tying fellow American distance runner Amy Rudolph for the most victories in event history.

Kelati, like Kurgat, controlled the race from start to finish. She broke the tape in 23:16, 21 seconds shy of her course record of 22:55, from her debut in 2021.

Weini Kelati wins her fifth straight Manchester Road Race pic.twitter.com/qDeNUQ9X2V

— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) November 27, 2025

Kelati finished 52 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Hannah Nuttall, with Taylor Werner more than a minute back, in third. If Kelati returns in 2026, she’ll have the chance to become the race’s first six-time female champion.

First held in 1927, the Manchester Road Race is one of the oldest annual road races in the U.S., and is famous for its unusual 4.74-mile distance and festive Thanksgiving atmosphere. More than 12,000 runners took part this year.

For full results from the 2025 Manchester Road Race, see here.