- Eliud Kipchoge made history by completing his first-ever marathon on African soil, finishing 16th at the Cape Town Marathon.
- The Kenyan marathon great clocked 2:13:29 on Sunday, 24 May 2026.
- The 41-year-old marathon icon is on a mission to run a series of seven marathons across all continents over the next two years.
Kenyan long-distance great Eliud Kipchoge made history on Sunday to complete his first-ever marathon on African soil, crossing the finish line in 16th place at the Cape Town Marathon 2026.
Competing in his first marathon in more than six months, the two-time Olympic champion clocked a 2:13:29.
Kipchoge lined up in one of the strongest fields ever assembled for an African marathon.
In the end, it was Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa who triumphed in 2:04:55, shattering the previous course record of 2:08:16 set by Ethiopia’s Abdisa Tola in 2024.
Esa’s compatriot Yihunilign Adane secured second in 2:04:59, while Kenyan Kalipus Lomwai grabbed third in 02:05:06.
The 41-year-old marathon icon Kipchoge is on a mission to run a series of seven marathons across all continents over the next two years, mainly to inspire people to lead healthier lives and unite folks through the running community.
“Cape Town, this was a special day,” Kipchoge said after crossing the line.
“Today was a celebration of running on this beautiful course, supported by thousands of incredible fans singing and making music along the route, and by fellow runners sharing the same race.
You all made our first stop on the tour one we’ll never forget. I’m proud to begin our world tour in Africa and to run my first-ever marathon on home soil. It was the perfect start.”
Kipchoge racing his first marathon on home African soil is just another remarkable achievement in a career that already includes being the first man to run a marathon in under two hours.
He is one of only three guys to win two Olympic gold medals. He broke the marathon record twice. He also holds the most major marathon wins and the most Berlin Marathon victories.
Kipchoge’s result in Cape Town was better than his 17th-place finish in his last marathon appearance, at the New York City Marathon on 2 November 2025, where he crossed the line in 02:14:36.
The next stop on Kipchoge’s world tour is in South America: the Porto Alegre Marathon in Brazil on 12 July.
After that, the tour moves to Oceania, as he competes in the Melbourne Marathon in Australia on 11 October.
His following stops, scheduled for North America, Asia, Europe, and Antarctica respectively and in that order, are yet to be confirmed.