A combination of good weather, stunning scenery and record-breaking times in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon yesterday (May 24), bodes well for the event as it is nearing the completion of phase 2 of the candidacy process to become an Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) event.

The race, which is already considered Africa’s premier marathon, will then bring Africa its first major.

According to Mossel Bay Advertiser, three of the four course records were shattered on a spectacular day of racing. Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa won the elite men’s race with a scintillating 2:04:55, shattering the course record of 2:08:16 and officially making the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon the fastest marathon on the African continent. 

The women’s title was also claimed by an Ethiopian as Dera Dida took the win in 2:23:18.

In the wheelchair division, David Weir of Great Britain dominated the men’s race as he powered to a 1:30:20 win, lowering the course record from 1:32:09. 

While that record was still sinking in, the women’s wheelchair record was absolutely obliterated, with Switzerland’s Manuela Schär taking the record down from 1:52:58 to 1:43:25.

Success on the roads

The race also featured its biggest international contingent to date, with some 8 500 international entries, including participants in the 2026 Abbott World Marathon Majors Marathon Tours and Travel Age Group World Championships. 

This saw 1 850 of the best age group marathoners from around the world competing for global titles in five-year age categories from 40 to over 80 years.

“And that’s a wrap for the 2026 edition for the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, a very important one for us in that we were coming off an event that was cancelled in 2025. I think it was really great to bounce back with an event on a perfect day, with great organisation, and an incredible elite result, with so many new records,” says Clark Gardner, the CEO of the marathon.

“It was not a perfect event, and we’ve already learnt some valuable lessons, but overall, we’re super proud that we have so many happy participants and supporters. That includes all our international participants, and the overall feedback from them has been impressive – they love Cape Town, they love South Africa, they love a marathon in Africa – so we can be super chuffed as a team about the delivery of this event. Now we look forward to just soaking it all in and, and seeing what that means for us in two to three weeks’ time,” adds Gardner.

He is referring to the imminent announcement whether the marathon has now successfully completed the candidacy process for AWMM status. 

Things are looking good for the race, as Dawna Stone, the CEO of Abbott World Marathon Majors, says she and her team of assessors are really impressed by the latest edition of the race. 

“It was incredible to see the hard work of the Cape Town team come together on a spectacular day in this beautiful city. Congratulations to Clark and his staff and all the runners who played their part in a special event. Our evaluation team now have everything they need to complete their work and we are excited to see the outcome very soon.”

More high praise

The stacked men’s elite field included Eliud Kipchoge, the former two-time world record-holder, two-time Olympic marathon champion and winner of 11 majors. He chose Cape Town as his first official marathon race on African soil, and the first stop for his Eliud’s Running World tour, which will see him tackle a series of seven marathons across all the continents over the next two years, to inspire people to lead healthier lives.

He finished 16^th in 2:13:29, being greeted by adoring fans from start to finish of his run, and he has nothing but praise for the event. 

“I have run all the majors in the world, but May 24 is the day that I believe the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will become an Abbott World Marathon Majors event. I believe that all one billion Africans should be proud of this race, and that we are creating a real legacy for Africa by making the Cape Town Marathon a world major,” says Kipchoge.

“My highlight today (May 24) was all those people on the road who were singing for all of us runners, for the whole day, giving us support and morale. Those are the real heroes of the Cape Town Marathon. They were singing for the whole of Africa, and those were the people that really touched my heart. All the spectators and fans were wonderful, uniting as Africans, and I feel I am leaving a part of myself here in Cape Town,” adds Kipchoge.

Biggest edition yet

While the elites were focused on records, podiums and prize money, the biggest ever field for the race enjoyed a stunning day on the roads of the Mother City, with thousands celebrating new personal bests or successful marathon debuts on the fast and flat runner-friendly route, lined by thousands of enthusiastic spectators. 

Title sponsor Sanlam was equally effusive about the success of the day.

“Congratulations to every runner who made this year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon such a memorable and inspiring event,” says Shadi Chauke, the group executive for corporate affairs and sustainability at Sanlam. 

“We are proud to support an event that continues to grow in meaning and impact, not only celebrating performance, but also creating a platform that positions Africa on the global stage, while shining a light on the incredible talent we have here at home. The discipline, resilience and consistency we see across the field are the same qualities that underpin our purpose of empowering people to live with confidence.

“What stands out most is the way this event brings people together. From runners and supporters, to clubs and race partners, it is the strength of this wider community that gives the marathon its meaning. It is clear that no one is part of this journey alone, and that is what makes ‘African Champions Unite’ more than a message. It is something we see come to life year after year, as we build on this momentum and head into the next phase of this marathon together,” adds Chauke.

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