"Conner Mantz has owned this race ever since"- Fans react as Marathoner defeats World Silver medalist in stunning comeback

Conner Mantz's historical win in the men's pro race at the 45th Boulder Boulder garnered reactions from social fans. He capped his annual Memorial Day 10K campaign with a win over Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo in the final 50 metres.

Mantz, the American long-distance runner specializing in the marathon, began his 2025 season with a dominant performance in the half-marathon in January, breaking the American record. He continued his momentum at the New York City Half-Marathon in March, setting a personal best. Following a fourth-place finish at the Boston Marathon in 2:05.08, Mantz graced the men's pro race line-up at the Boulder Boulder, an annual 10k race in Boulder, Colorado.

The 28-year-old came off a late surge and surpassed Kenya's Daniel Simiu Ebenyo to clinch his third men's pro race title, only the second man to achieve so. After clocking the sixth-fastest time in history, the marathoner received love and support from fans on X.

Another fan chimed in to note how Mantz has been a mainstay in the men's pro race.

Another fan called him 'the best athlete' in his sport, and lauded him for his resilience, writing:

Conner Mantz made his feelings known after a monumental win at the Boulder Boulder

Conner Mantz, the winner of the US Olympic Marathon trials, claimed his third men's pro race title, becoming the first athlete to win it consecutively. Arturo Barrios boasts the most wins in the event (4), but he achieved the feat over eight years. Expressing his feelings about making it in the same event as legends like Arturo and Frank Shorter, Mantz said:

Conner Mantz competed with the Birmingham Young University at the collegiate level. He won the 2020 and 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.

About the author

Agnijeeta is a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She holds a Master’s degree in English and has worked as a school teacher, a blogger, a content writer and a sports writer over the past 5 years. A lover of high-adrenaline track and field events, she was also a sprinter during her school days.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone happens to be her favorite Olympian, and the athlete’s feat of breaking four records within 13 months inspires her, apart from the American's body language on and off the track. Grant Hackett swimming with a partially dysfunctional lung and winning gold in Athens is her all-time favorite Olympic moment.

Agnijeeta believes that deriving of unique angles from podcasts and interviews carried out by Olympics.com, along with hype-building of potential Olympic events on social media can help fill the coverage gap during the off season.

When not at her work desk, Agnijeeta likes to sing and paint. She also plays string instruments like guitar and ukulele and is an avid player of word puzzles.

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