Eliud Kipchoge at the Cape Town marathon/ HANDOUTSanlam Cape Town Marathon proved a difficult assignment for Kenya’s road runners on Sunday, with the country managing just one podium finish across the elite men’s and women’s races.
Kalipus Lomwai emerged as Kenya’s lone podium finisher after clocking 2:05:06 to secure third place in the men’s race. The contest was dominated by Ethiopia, with Mohamed Esa storming to victory in a course record time of 2:04:55 ahead of compatriot Yihunilign Adane, who finished second in 2:04:59.
The Cape Town Marathon also entered the record books as the fastest marathon ever run on African soil, eclipsing the previous continental benchmark set at the Marrakesh Marathon, whose 2:06:32 winning time in 2020 had stood as Africa’s best. For Lomwai, the podium finish marked a strong response after a disappointing sixth-place outing at the Prague Half Marathon on March 28, where he clocked 59:44
. In that Prague race, Rodrigue Kwizera claimed victory in 58:16, while Kenyans Samwel Masai and Owen Korir finished second and third in 58:48 and 58:58, respectively. Meanwhile, Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge crossed the line in 16th place in Cape Town after posting 2:13:29. For Kipchoge, however, the race carried significance beyond competition
It marked the beginning of his ambitious quest to complete a marathon on all seven continents and was also his first-ever marathon appearance on African soil. Over the next two years, the five-time Berlin Marathon champion aims to use the campaign to inspire healthier living while celebrating the unifying spirit of distance running.
Kipchoge’s participation also boosted Cape Town’s push to join the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors series. “I want to help grow this event to 60,000 participants and help it become a major. As an African, I’m rooting for it, I’m pushing for it,” Kipchoge said ahead of the race. “We don’t have a major marathon in Africa yet, but this is a growing continent, and it is our time as Africans to have Cape Town as one of the world's majors.”
Other Kenyan finishers in the men’s race included Leonard Langat, who narrowly missed the podium after finishing fourth in 2:05:48. Benard Biwott placed ninth in 2:07:34, while Justus Kangogo completed the top 10 in 2:07:42.
The women’s race was equally dominated by Ethiopia, who swept the podium places. Dera Dida won the race in 2:23:18 ahead of Mestawut Fikir (2:23:46) and Waganesh Mekasha (2:23:57). Kenya’s Leah Cheruto finished fourth in 2:24:31, while veteran star Edna Kiplagat, still competing strongly at 46, placed fifth in 2:25:44.
