Cheruiyot Koech and Dorrine Chesang claimed the Eldoret City Marathon 2026 titles, while Kenya's Sabastian Sawe made history in London by becoming the first person to run a sub-two-hour marathon in official competition.
Chesang, Koech, and Sawe | Courtesy: Eldoret City Marathon/London Marathon
The 2026 Eldoret City Marathon (7th edition) delivered yet another thrilling chapter in Kenya's rich long-distance running story, with rising stars and established names asserting dominance in a race that continues to grow in prestige on the global calendar.
Cheruiyot Koech from Kericho County arrived in Eldoret with little fanfare - he had finished 21st in this very race last year.
He left with the trophy, completing the 42km course in 2:12:53 in what has to rank as one of the most compelling personal turnarounds on the Kenyan marathon circuit this year.
"I was greatly encouraged by my mother's phone call yesterday," Koech said after the race. "I maintained my speed from the beginning."
Kiprotich Langat produced an equally impressive run for second place, finishing in 2:13:23. Like Koech, Langat's journey through the race was a story of patience and climbing; he had started as far back as 20th position early on, methodically working his way through the field.
He had placed 10th in the same race last year. "The race was not that bad despite the challenges, especially the excess water on the course. The altitude was manageable," said Langat.
Hosea Kiplimo completed the men's podium in third place with a time of 2:13:29, just six seconds separating second and third, making it one of the tightest finishes at the Eldoret City Marathon in recent memory. "I maintained my pace without too much struggle. I'm grateful because that is what I trained for," he said.
The women's title went to Dorrine Chesang of Uganda, who won in 2:30:26 - her first time competing at the Eldoret City Marathon, and she made it count.
"This is my first time competing here. I trained in a hilly area back home in Uganda, so the course felt easier for me," said Chesang, whose high-altitude hill training back home clearly translated well on the Eldoret terrain.
Margaret Muriuki gave Kenya a strong showing in second place, finishing in 2:30:45 - just 19 seconds behind the winner and well within sight until the final stretch.
Jerono Jackline secured third place in 2:31:51, rounding off a tightly contested women's podium.
Both category winners take home Ksh 3.5 million, reinforcing the Eldoret City Marathon's standing as one of the highest-paying marathons on the African continent.
Beyond the marathon, the Eldoret City Marathon weekend also featured fast-paced one-mile (1.6 kilometres) races that highlighted a different kind of athleticism - raw speed.
Kelvin Kimutai led the men’s field, ahead of Eric Kangusur and Sham Kiprono, while Naomi Korir took top honors in the women’s race, followed by Faith Jepletting and Mitchelle Cheptoo.
The shorter races continue to provide a platform for emerging athletes and sprinters, complementing the endurance focus of the main marathon events.
While the battle raged in Eldoret, Kenya's Sabastian Sawe was busy redefining the sport in the United Kingdom.
Sawe became the first person in history to run a marathon in under two hours in an official, open competition, clocking a remarkable 1:59:30 at the London Marathon.
While Eliud Kipchoge ran the distance in 1:59:40 back in 2019, that was a controlled time trial rather than an open race - making Sawe's achievement the first of its kind in official competition.
"I am feeling good, I am happy, it's a day to remember for me"
What makes this feat even more incredible is that Sawe was sidelined by injury throughout December 2025, causing him to miss 10 days of training and only beginning proper training in January.
He wasn't the only one flying; runner-up Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia) also broke the two-hour mark, finishing just 11 seconds later.
Even third-place Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) surpassed the previous world record with a time of 2:00:28.
| Position | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 🥇 | Cheruiyot Koech | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2:12:53 |
| 2nd 🥈 | Kiprotich Langat | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2:13:23 |
| 3rd 🥉 | Hosea Kiplimo | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2:13:29 |
| Position | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 🥇 | Dorrine Chesang | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 2:30:26 |
| 2nd 🥈 | Margaret Muriuki | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2:30:45 |
| 3rd 🥉 | Jerono Jackline | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2:31:51 |
| Position | Athlete |
|---|---|
| 1st 🥇 | Kelvin Kimutai |
| 2nd 🥈 | Eric Kangusur |
| 3rd 🥉 | Sham Kiprono |
| Position | Athlete |
|---|---|
| 1st 🥇 | Naomi Korir |
| 2nd 🥈 | Faith Jepletting |
| 3rd 🥉 | Mitchelle Cheptoo |
| Position | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 🥇 | Sabastian Sawe | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 1:59:30 (World Record) |
| 2nd 🥈 | Yomif Kejelcha | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 1:59:41 |
| 3rd 🥉 | Jacob Kiplimo | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 2:00:28 |
Want to race next? Check our Kenya marathon calendar for upcoming events near you.
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