CAPE TOWN: Ethiopian Mohamed Esa ran the fastest marathon on African soil to win the Cape Town Marathon on Sunday in a course record time of 2hr 04min 55sec.

Compatriot Yihunilign Adane (2:04:59) finished second and Kenyan Kalipus Lomwai (2:05:06) third in personal best times. Double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya (2:13:29) came 16th.

Esa remained with the leading pack for most of the race before making a decisive break in the closing kilometres.

He eclipsed the previous course record of 2:08:15, set by fellow Ethiopian Abdisa Tola at the 2024 edition “To break the course record is special for me. I thank the organisers for giving me the chance to run on my home continent,” said Esa.

“The course was nice and the crowds gave us a lot of energy during the race. Eliud is my role model and I respect him deeply. I was proud to race with him in Africa.”

Kenyan Sabastian Sawe ran the first sub-two-hour marathon this month, winning the London Marathon in 1:59:30.

Ethiopians dominated the women’s race in Cape Town, filling the top three positions. Winner Dera Dida Yami (2:23:18) was followed by Mestawut Fikir (2:23:46) and Waganesh Mekasha (2:23:57).

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2026