Women's Marathon: Zimmermann Defends, Frketich Surges Late

• Leandra Zimmermann wins in 2:45:14 (6:18/mi), defending her 2023 title and going back-to-back across editions — the only women's winner in the data to do so.
• Amanda Frketich, 19, closes in 2:52:29 with the fastest women's split from mile 24 to the finish — a strong late charge that moved her from 3rd to 2nd on the final stretch.
• Jacqueline Teran and Camille Moore finish 3rd (2:58:11) and 4th (2:58:45) — separated by just 34 seconds after 26.2 miles.
• Thia Angelo returns to the women's top ten, finishing 10th in 3:08:51 after placing 4th here in 2024 (2:59:23) — a tougher day, but still in the mix.

Leandra Zimmermann never relinquished the lead. The 29-year-old San Franciscan held first among women from the opening miles through the tape, clocking 2:45:14 at a 6:18/mi average on a breezy, 59°F morning. She also posted the fastest women's split between miles 2 and 4 — a signal that she came out with purpose and never let up. Three years after winning in 2023, she's now the defending champion of this race, and today she made that title look earned.

Behind her, the real drama played out in the final miles. Jacqueline Teran, 35, ran a strong early race — sitting 2nd through mile 20 — but Frketich, the 19-year-old from Burnaby, BC, had other plans. Running 3rd for most of the race, Frketich turned in the fastest women's split from mile 24 to the finish, reeling in Teran and crossing in 2:52:29 to take 2nd. Teran held on for 3rd in 2:58:11, with Camille Moore of San Francisco pressing all the way to 4th in 2:58:45 — posting the 2nd-fastest women's split between miles 14 and 16 in a bid that just fell short of the podium.

Chihiro Miya rounded out the top five in 2:59:29, climbing from 7th early in the race to 5th by mile 8 and holding that position through the finish, aided by the 3rd-fastest women's split between miles 18 and 20. Mackinly Kifer added a notable footnote in 9th (3:07:26) — she had already raced to 2nd among women in the Saturday 5K, making her marathon top-ten a genuine double-weekend performance. In a women's field of 2,086, the depth was real: Jenny Xu (14th, 3:13:38) improved on her 9th-place finish here in 2025 (3:03:44) in time but slipped in place — a reminder of how competitive this field has grown.