By Adnaan Mohamed
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is poised for a potentially historic Sunday as one of the deepest elite fields ever assembled on African soil prepares to attack the record books beneath Table Mountain.
The 32nd edition of the race has attracted 27,000 marathon runners and a combined total of 44,500 participants across the weekend’s events, while the elite field carries enough firepower to threaten both course records.
In the men’s race, 13 athletes have already run faster than the current course mark of 2:08:16 set by Abdisa Tola in 2024. Ten of them have dipped beneath that time within the last year.
Leading the charge is marathon icon Eliud Kipchoge, the two-time Olympic champion and former world record-holder, whose personal best of 2:01:09 makes him the fastest athlete in the field historically.
Although now 41, Kipchoge remains a formidable contender after clocking 2:05:25 in London last year.
Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa enters with arguably the sharpest recent form after posting 2:04:49 in Chicago in 2025, while Israel’s Maru Teferi arrives with a personal best of 2:04:44.
Kenya’s Benard Kipkurui Biwott and Justus Kangogo, alongside Ethiopians Yihunilign Adane, Mulugeta Asefa Uma and Boki Kebede Asefa, add further depth to a field packed with sub-2:06 runners.
Another major contender is Adane Gebre Kebede, who won in Cape Town in 2023 and finished runner-up in 2024. His recent 2:06:16 in Houston suggests he could again feature prominently.
South Africa’s hopes will largely rest with three-time champion Stephen Mokoka, alongside Desmond Mokgobu, Bennet Seloyi and debutant Anthony Timoteus.
The women’s race also promises fireworks.
South African star Glenrose Xaba set the course record of 2:22:22 in 2024, producing the fastest women’s marathon ever run on African soil. This year’s elite lineup includes five women who have already run faster than 2:20.
Ethiopian trio Ruti Aga, Dera Dida and Mestawat Fikir are expected to spearhead the challenge. Aga owns a 2:18:09 best, while Dida and Fikir have clocked 2:18:32 and 2:18:48 respectively.
Experienced campaigners Lonah Salpeter and Edna Kiplagat add further quality to the field. Salpeter remains the fastest woman in the race historically with her 2:17:45 Tokyo victory in 2020, while two-time world champion Kiplagat continues to compete at elite level at 47.
“We have assembled the best marathon elite and wheelchair fields the African continent has ever seen, led by the best marathon runner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge,” said Clark Gardner.
“With so many starters who have run faster times than our course records, we feel confident that the record books will need updating after this year’s race.”
The race also represents another significant milestone in Cape Town’s bid to become Africa’s first Abbott World Marathon Majors event, alongside marathons in New York, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, Tokyo, Sydney and London.
Featured Photo Credit: Kevin Peters