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Men’s and Women’s Elite Fields for the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Athletes are listed in order of fastest personal best time (PB), with their season best (SB) from the past year added as a guide

May 22
4 min read
Men’s and Women’s Elite Fields for the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Athletes are listed in order of fastest personal best time (PB), with their season best (SB) from the past year added as a guide
Eliud Kipchoge during training, Image: Courtesy of Cape Town Marathon

MEN'S MARATHON

  1. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) — PB: 2:01:09 (Berlin, 2022) | SB: 2:05:25 (London, 2025)

  2. Mohamed Esa (Ethiopia) – PB 2:04:39 (Chicago, 2024) | SB: 2:04:49 (Chicago, 2025)

  3. Maru Teferi (Israel) — PB: 2:04:44 NR (Valencia, 2024) | SB: 2:09:17 (Brussels, 2025)

  4. Benard Kipkurui Biwott (Kenya) — PB: 2:05:25 (Paris, 2025) | SB: 2:05:25 (Paris, 2025)

  5. Yihunilign Adane (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:05:33 (Osaka, 2026) | SB: 2:05:33 (Osaka, 2026)

  6. Mulugeta Asefa Uma (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:05:33 (Paris, 2024) | SB: 2:05:46 (Tokyo, 2025)

  7. Boki Kebede Asefa (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:05:40 (Amsterdam, 2024) | SB: 2:05:55 (Doha, 2026)

  8. Justus Kangogo (Kenya) — PB: 2:05:57 (Berlin, 2023) | SB: 2:06:10 (Valencia, 2025)

  9. Jemal Yimer Mekonen (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:06:08 (Seoul, 2024) | SB: 2:06:08 (Seoul, 2024)

  10. Adane Gebre Kebede (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:06:16 (Houston, 2026) | SB: 2:06:16 (Houston, 2026)

  11. Stephen Mokoka (South Africa) — PB: 2:06:42 (Osaka, 2024) | SB: 2:09:52 (Durban, 2025)

  12. Isaac Mpofu (Zimbabwe) — PB: 2:06:48 NR (Valencia, 2022) | SB: 2:10:46 (Tokyo, 2025)

  13. Leonard Langat (Kenya) — PB: 2:06:59 (Vienna, 2022) | SB: 2:08:04 (Toronto, 2025)

  14. Abe Gashahun (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:08:35 (Riyadh, 2025) | SB: 2:08:35 (Riyadh, 2025)

  15. Abebaw Muniye (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:08:38 (Riyadh, 2025) | SB: 2:09:31 (Riyadh, 2026)

  16. Desmond Mokgobu (South Africa) — PB: 2:09:13 (Valencia, 2020) | SB: 1:05:04 (21.1km, Gqeberha, 2025)

  17. Joel Reichow (United States of America) — PB: 2:09:56 (New York, 2025) | SB: 2:09:56 (New York, 2025)

  18. Kalipus Lomwai (Kenya) — PB: 2:13:12 (Beirut, 2018) | SB: 59:26 (21.1km, Rome, 2025)

  19. Bennett Seloyi (South Africa) — PB: 2:13:22 (Kimberley, 2025) | SB: 2:13:22 (Kimberley, 2025)

  20. Tukiso Motlomelo (Lesotho) — PB: 2:17:10 (Cape Town, 2024) | SB: 1:02:54 (21.1km, Gqeberha, 2025)

  21. Augustine Choge (Kenya) — PB: 2:20:53 (New York, 2021) | SB: N/A

  22. Kamohelo Mofolo (Lesotho) — Debut marathon | SB: 1:00:52 (21.1km, Gqeberha, 2025)

  23. Anthony Timoteus (South Africa) — Debut marathon | SB: 28:48 (10km, Cape Town, 2025)

 

Pacesetters for the Men’s Race

Adriaan Wildshutt (South Africa) – 59:30 SA Record-holder for 21.1km

Adam Lipschitz (South Africa) – 2:09:53 Marathon PB

 

WOMEN'S MARATHON

  1. Lonah Salpeter (Israel) — PB: 2:17:45 NR (Tokyo, 2020) | SB: 2:23:45 (Valencia, 2025)

  2. Ruti Aga (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:18:09 (Dongying, 2023) | SB: 2:22:45 (Xiamen, 2026)

  3. Dera Dida (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:18:32 (Dubai, 2025) | SB: 2:18:32 (Dubai, 2025)

  4. Mestawat Fikir (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:18:48 (Berlin, 2024) | SB: 2:20:00 (Tokyo, 2026)

  5. Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) — PB: 2:19:50 (London, 2012) | SB: 2:25:07 (Abu Dhabi, 2025)

  6. Desi Jisa Mokonin (Bahrain) — PB: 2:20:07 (Tokyo, 2025) | SB: 2:20:07 (Tokyo, 2025)

  7. Waganesh Mekasha (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:20:26 (Amsterdam, 2025) | SB: 2:20:26 (Amsterdam, 2025)

  8. Vibian Chepkirui (Kenya) — PB: 2:20:59 (Vienna, 2021) | SB: 1:08:46 (21.1km, Venlo, 2026)

  9. Mercy Kwambai (Kenya) — PB: 2:23:58 (Xiamen, 2025) | SB: 2:27:22 (Xiamen, 2026)

  10. Gojjam Tsegaye (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:24:02 (Barcelona, 2025) | SB: 2:28:27 (Mumbai, 2026)

  11. Leah Cheruto (Kenya) — PB: 2:24:33 (Kosice, 2025) | SB: 2:24:33 (Kosice, 2025)

  12. Cynthia Jerotich Limo (Kenya) — PB: 2:24:43 (Boston, 2025) | SB: 2:24:43 (Boston, 2025)

  13. Emebet Mamo Niguse (Ethiopia) — PB: 2:25:25 (Ljubljana, 2024) | SB: 2:28:03 (Hong Kong, 2025)

  14. Fortunate Chidzivo (Zimbabwe) — PB: 2:33:30 (Durban, 2025) | SB: 2:33:30 (Durban, 2025)

 

Pacesetters for the Women’s Race

Ewnetie Alemayehu Dagnaw (Ethiopia)

Tesfaye Guteta Leta (Ethiopia)

 

MEN’S WHEELCHAIR DIVISION

  1. Aron Pike (USA) – PB 1:20:02 (Duluth, 2022) | SB 1:29:07 (Chicago, 2025)

  2. Hiroki Nishida (Japan) – PB 1:20:28 (Boston, 2017) | SB 1:28:54 (Berlin, 2025)

  3. David Weir (United Kingdom) - PB 1:22:12 (Boston 2024) | 1:29:23 (London, 2026)

  4. Kota Hokinoue (Japan) – PB 1:22:01 (Oensingen, 2011) | SB 1:33:27 (Boston, 2025)

  5. Sho Watanabe (Japan) – PB 1:24:00 (Oita, 2019) | SB 1:28:50 (Berlin, 2025)

  6. Jetze Plat (Netherlands) - PB 1:24:28 (Dubai, 2023) | SB 1:31:04 (London, 2026)

  7. Ma Zhuo (China) – PB 1:25:10 (Chengdu, 2023) | SB 1:34:42 (Shanghai, 2025)

  8. Geert Schipper Plat (Netherlands) – PB 1:26:47 (London, 2025) | SB 1:33:53 (London, 2026)

  9. Brian Siemann (USA) – PB 1:28:00 (Duluth, 2017) | SB 1:34:00 (Chicago, 2024)

  10. Zhang Ying (China) – PB 1:30:57 (Tokyo, 2025) | SB 1:30:57 (Tokyo, 2025)

  11. Tiaan Bosch (South Africa) – PB 1:33:17 (Duluth, 2024) | SB 1:46:25 (Duluth, 2025)

  12. Xie Zijin (China) – PB 1:42:05 (Guangzhou, 2025) | SB 1:42:05 (Guangzhou, 2025)

 

WOMEN’S WHEELCHAIR DIVISION

  1. Manuela Schär (Switzerland) – PB 1:28:17 (Boston, 2017) | SB 1:41:21 (London, 2026)

  2. Tsubasa Nakamine (Japan) – PB 1:35:50 (Oita, 2019) | 1:41:20 (Tokyo, 2026)

  3. Christie Dawes (Australia) – PB 1:37:00 (Boston, 2017) | 1:47:00 (London, 2025)

  4. Chen Xiaochun (China) – PB 1:46:26 (Shenzhen, 2025) | SB 1:46:26 (Shenzhen, 2025)

  5. Deng Yirun (China) – PB 1:46:32 (Shenzhen, 2025) | SB 1:46:32 (Shenzhen, 2025)

  6. Yeni Hernandez (Mexico) – PB 1:52:34 (Duluth, 2024) | 2:06:15 (CDMX, 2025)

  7. Hannah Babalola NGR/USA – PB 1:57:33 (Duluth, 2025) | SB 1:57:33 (Duluth, 2025)

  8. Rita Cuccuru (Italy) – PB 2:14:00 (Berlin, 2025) | SB 2:14:00 (Berlin, 2025)

  9. Zhang Yuan (China) – Debut marathon

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