Running News Daily

At 42 years old, Sara Hall produced one of the finest races of her storied career on Sunday at the California International Marathon — yet even her record-breaking brilliance wasn’t enough to stop the emergence of a new U.S. marathon star.

In a sensational debut that electrified the net-downhill course, 26-year-old Molly Born stormed to victory in 2:24:09, slicing 19 seconds off the women’s course record and claiming the 2025 USATF Marathon Championship title. The Oklahoma State alumna and Chapel Hill resident seized control at mile 19 and powered home with a fearless negative split, averaging a searing 5:30 per mile despite nearly stumbling on the homestretch.

 Hall, the pre-race favorite and 2017 CIM champion, ran one of the greatest masters performances in U.S. history. Her 2:24:36 not only marked her fastest marathon since 2020, but also obliterated the American masters record for women over 40 and erased the sting of last month’s DNF in New York. 

Megan Sailor completed the podium with a strong 2:25:16, but the day belonged to two runners at opposite ends of their careers: Hall, the enduring veteran proving she can still rise to championship form, and Born, whose fearless debut announces her as a rising force in U.S. distance running.

At a race known for breakthroughs, Sunday’s showdown delivered a generational moment — the established legend running one of her finest marathons, and the newcomer running into history.