Podium finish as Kipchoge makes long-awaited marathon debut on African soil

Marathon great Eliud Kipchoge finished 16th at the Cape Town Marathon on Sunday, 24 May, in what marked the first official marathon race of his career on African soil.

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The 41-year-old Kenyan clocked 2:13:29 in South Africa, averaging a 5:05 pace to place second in the masters category during his first competitive marathon appearance in over six months.

While the result may not mirror the dominance that defined much of his legendary career, the race represented another important chapter in Kipchoge’s evolving journey in athletics.

The two-time Olympic champion has recently shifted focus from chasing World Marathon Major titles to promoting the sport globally.

Following his 17th-place finish at the New York City Marathon last November, Kipchoge revealed his ambition to run a marathon on all seven continents.

The Cape Town race also attracted global attention as the South African event continues its push to become the eighth World Marathon Major, with organisers hoping to secure inclusion into the elite series as early as 2027.

Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa stole the show in the men’s race after producing a course-record performance of 2:04:55.

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Fellow Ethiopian Yihunilign Adane finished just four seconds behind in 2:04:59, while Kenya’s Kalipus Lomwai secured third place after clocking 2:05:06.

The women’s race was equally dominated by Ethiopia, with Dera Dida Yami storming to victory in 2:23:18 ahead of compatriots Mestawut Fikir (2:23:46) and Waganesh Amare (2:23:57).

Kenya’s Leah Cheruto narrowly missed out on the podium after finishing fourth in 2:24:31, while veteran Edna Kiplagat once again demonstrated her longevity on the global stage with an impressive fifth-place finish in 2:25:44 at the age of 47.

Kipchoge’s continental marathon mission is set to continue later this year with two more races already confirmed.

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The former world record holder is expected to compete at the Porto Alegre Marathon in Brazil on 12 July before heading to the Melbourne Marathon in Australia on 11 October.

The remaining races in North America, Europe, Asia, and Antarctica are yet to be announced.

Cape Town’s return this year also carried added significance after the 2025 edition was cancelled barely 90 minutes before the start because of dangerous high winds.

Organisers had already moved the race from its traditional October slot to May as part of efforts to improve conditions and strengthen its World Marathon Major bid.

Between 2014 and 2023, Kipchoge established himself as one of the greatest distance runners in history, winning 11 World Marathon Majors, claiming two Olympic marathon gold medals and breaking the marathon world record twice.

In 2019, he became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours after clocking 1:59:40 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge exhibition event in Vienna.