By Adnaan Mohamed
When marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge steps onto the start line of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on 24 May 2026, it will mark far more than another race on a decorated résumé. It will be the first time the two-time Olympic champion runs a marathon on African soil.
For the Kenyan icon, the moment carries deep personal and symbolic meaning for the sport that has carried him across the world’s greatest marathon stages.
“Africa is where my journey as a runner began and where the foundation of my success is deeply rooted,” said Kipchoge.
“To start this World Tour in Cape Town is very special. It is about celebrating the strength of African running and inspiring the next generation. To race my first ever marathon on the African continent holds deep meaning for me. I cannot wait.”
Kipchoge confirmed that Cape Town will host his first race of the year and the opening stride of his ambitious project, Eliud’s Running World, which will see him complete seven marathons across all continents.
“As far as the worldwide tour is concerned, on 24 May 2026 my first outing for the year will be in Cape Town,” he said. “It is one of the oldest places in Africa. I decided to start with my own continent. That’s where I’m really starting.”
For decades, African runners have dominated the global marathon scene, filling podiums from Boston to Berlin. Kipchoge believes the time has arrived for Africa itself to stand at the centre of the global running map.
“This means a lot for me,” he said. “This is my first marathon to run in Africa and I’m really happy to run in Cape Town. I want to bring excitement and bring people to Africa.”
The Kenyan star hopes the race will act like a starting pistol for a broader movement across the continent.
“Our idea is to create movement in this world, create movement in Africa and create movement across all the continents,” he said. “My people in Africa have been watching me on television, listening on radio and seeing me on social media. Now it is time to come and run with them, chat with them and be with them.”
Unlike many of his previous races, which focused on chasing records and titles, Kipchoge says his Cape Town run will carry a deeper purpose.
“In many races I competed for world records, victories and course records,” he explained. “This time I run for purpose. I run to inspire people, motivate people and make people move.”
That purpose includes raising funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which supports environmental conservation and education initiatives.
“In Africa we are still vulnerable as far as education is concerned,” he said. “Our planet is our home and we need to make it clean.”
The Cape Town event itself is gathering momentum on the international stage. More than 27,000 runners are expected to take part in 2026 as organisers pursue recognition in the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a step that would give Africa its first Major marathon.
Race CEO Clark Gardner believes Kipchoge’s presence will echo far beyond the finish line.
“Eliud represents the very best of what running can inspire,” Gardner said. “To see him race our streets and engage with young runners across the city will be incredibly powerful.”
For the sport, the image of the world’s greatest marathon runner gliding through the streets beneath Table Mountain could feel like a starting gun for a new era. African athletes have long powered the global marathon engine. Kipchoge’s historic run places the continent firmly on the road map of the sport’s future.
