Mohamed Esa powered his way to a course-record win in the Cape Town Marathon as Dera Dida dominated the women’s field on Sunday in.
Esa made a late move at the 40km mark to pull out of a group of four competitors and grabbed the first marathon win of his career in 2:04:55 to shave more than three minutes off of the previous 2:08:16 course record.
“To win my first marathon here in Africa, on home ground, and in a course-record time makes this victory very special to me,” Esa said.
Yihunilign Adane finished second in 2:04:59 while Kalipus Lomwai took third in 2:05:06. For Esa, the win in Cape Town was a major rebound after he dropped out of the Boston Marathon at the 25km mark last month. But on Sunday, he took a patient strategy into the halfway point at 1:02:49 until striking in the closing stages.
In the women’s race Dida was locked in battle with the women’s lead pack at 35km before she shifted gears and opened a sizable lead to get victory in 2:23:18 and win by almost 30 seconds.
Dida held steady with a sizable group as they crossed the half in 1:12:33, but she decided not to let the battle come down to a late sprint as the pack remained at six runners through 30km.
Waganesh Amare took second in 2:23:57 and Leah Cheruto finished third in 2:24:31.
Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge kicked off his seven continent world tour in Cape Town and finished 16th in 2:13:29. His next race will be the Porto Alegre Marathon in Brazil on July 12.
“Today was a celebration of running on this beautiful course, supported by thousands of incredible fans singing and making music along the route, and by fellow runners sharing the same race,” Kipchoge said. “You all made our first stop on the tour one we’ll never forget.
Kipchoge plans to run a marathon on all seven continents in two years and will compete at the Melbourne Marathon in Australia October 11 as his Oceania tour stop.
For race organizers and participants, this year’s race is a return to a mission or normalcy after the 2025 event was canceled hours before the start because of severe high winds.
Some of the 24,000 runners were already headed to the start village when an emergency meeting was held to decide whether to continue with the race. But the windy conditions persisted and tents, signage and materials were affected along with the start area sustaining damage.
Participants were offered sponsored entry for this year’s race or the 2027 event with Sunday’s field also receiving provisional credits toward Abbott’s major marathon program since Cape Town is still being evaluated as a candidate race — and was unable to be evaluated with last year’s cancelation.
2026 Cape Town Marathon top finishers
Men’s Elite Field
1. Mohamed Esa (Ethiopia) – 2:04:55
2. Yihunilign Adane (Ethiopia) – 2:04:59
3. Kalipus Lomwai (Kenya) – 2:05:06
4. Leonard Langat (Kenya) – 2:05:26
5. Jemal Yimer (Ethiopia) – 2:05:48
6. Mulugeta Uma (Ethiopia) – 2:06:19
7. Maru Teferi (Israel) – 2:06:46
8. Abebaw Dessie Muniye (Ethiopia) – 2:06:57
9. Benard Kipkurui Biwott (Kenya) – 2:07:34
10. Justus Kipkogei Kangogo (Kenya) – 2:07:42
11. Kamohelo Mofolo (Lesotho), 2:08:50
12. Isaac Mpofu (Zimbabwe) – 2:10:27
13. Stephen Mokoka (South Africa) – 2:10:48
14. Matlakala Bennet Seloyi (South Africa) – 2:12:17
15. Anthony Timoteus (South Africa) – 2:13:04
16. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) – 2:13:29
17. Joel Reichow (USA) – 2:14:31
18. Tukiso Motlomelo (Lesotho) – 2:16:30
19. Desmond Mokgobu (South Africa) – 2:19:30
20. Jamie Riddle (South Africa) – 2:25:04
Women’s Elite Field
1. Dera Dida (Ethiopia) – 2:23:18
2. Mestawut Fikir (Ethiopia) – 2:23:46
3. Waganesh Amare (Ethiopia) – 2:23:57
4. Leah Cheruto (Kenya) – 2:24:31
5. Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) – 2:25:44
6. Gojjam Enyew (Ethiopia) – 2:26:24
7. Mercy Jerop Kwambai (Kenya) – 2:30:36
8. Desi Jisa Mokonin (Bahrain) – 2:30:44
9. Cynthia Jerotich Limo (Kenya) – 2:32:00
10. Fortunate Chidzivo (Zimbabwe) – 2:41:09
11. Ewnetie Dagnaw (Ehiopia) – 2:54:34
