A record 30,602 participants, including 200 elite athletes, will take to the scenic Southern Bypass this morning for the 22nd Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon.
Last year’s bronze medallist Peter Kwemoi, returns, hoping to make amends as he eyes the handsome purse of Sh2 million set aside for each of the winners in the marathon.
Rita Jelagat, who finished fourth in the Los Angeles Marathon on March 15, will compete in the women’s race for the first time in the Kenyan capital, hoping for a good outcome.
Last year, Kwemoi finished third in a time of two hours, 13 minutes, and 14 seconds, losing to Ronald Kimeli Kurgat, who won in 2:13:05. Dominic Kipkurui Bett settled for second place in 2:13:13.
After placing seventh in 2022, Gladys Chemutai was inspired by 2017 World Cross Country Champion Irene Cheptai and claimed her first victory in the city last year with a time of 2:31:52.
“I am definitely in top shape and ready for the race,” said the 32-year-old Kwemoi, a father of three who has been training in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet.
He said that he has worked on his mileage and speed, which worked against him last year.
“I’ve been running up to 40 km on weekends instead of 35 km, in addition to between 20 to 26 km on weekdays. I have been putting in a maximum of 250km weekly,” said Kwemoi, who was due to compete in a half marathon race in France in September before encountering a visa challenge. He said that he has not competed this year due to a right leg tendon injury.
“I had the same challenge in the countdown to last year’s race, but I am fine this time round,” he said.
Raised more than Sh850 million
Kwemoi is up against Collins Cheboi, the 2011 African Games 1,500m silver medallist who finished fifth last year. Cheboi, a middle-distance runner turned long-distance runner, won a gold medal with the 4x1500m relay team at the 2014 World Relays and a gold medal in the 5,000m at the 2025 World University Games.
Uganda’s Wilfred Kiplagat will also compete against Kwemoi and Cheboi, as well as other elite athletes. Jelagat clocked 2:32:19 to take fourth place in Los Angeles. He lost to Ethiopia’s Tejinesh Gebisa, who won in 2:30:16. Another Kenyan, Antonina Kwambai, was second in 2:30:20.
Jelagat will be tested by Uganda’s Cecilia Alonyo and Kenya’s Purity Jepchirchir, who finished sixth at the Porto Half Marathon on September 14. Jepchirchir also competed in the Dubai Marathon on January 12, finishing 17th in 2:36:46.
The 21km race will feature Spain’s Roger Sans Ribas and María García. Also competing are Gabriel Mlay from Tanzania, Ellah Ndlovu from South Africa, and Nahashon Kipsang from Kenya, who holds a personal best of 1:01:38 from the Rio de Janeiro Half Marathon.
Also competing is Silas Kiplimo Chepkwony from Kenya, who clocked 1:03:47 at the Istanbul Half Marathon in Turkey in April.
For the first time, the 42km race will have an exclusive finish line for elite runners at Uhuru Gardens. Meanwhile, the 21km and 10km races will end at different points within the same venue to reduce congestion.
The day will also feature a half marathon, a 10km race, a 21km wheelchair race, a 5km Family Fun Run, a CEO Challenge, and a Corporate Challenge.
Since its inception, the marathon has hosted over 300,000 participants and raised more than Sh850 million to fund life-changing initiatives across Kenya.
The organizers achieved their goal of 30,000 participants and have realised their dream of raising Sh70 million for their “Future Makers” programme this year, surpassing the Sh48 million raised last year.
