30,700 Runners, 100 Nationalities: Nairobi Hosts World as Kiptum and Rotich Win Standard Chartered Marathon

By Bruno Aero Family Media Staff Writer News Desk

NAIROBI, Kenya 

Nairobi turned into a global athletics stage on Saturday as 30,700 runners from more than 100 nationalities lined up for the 23rd Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, the biggest edition yet of Kenya's premier road race.

In the elite showdown along the scenic Southern Bypass overlooking Nairobi National Park, Abraham Kiptum clinched the men's 42km title while Mercy Rotich claimed the women's crown. Both walked away with KES 2 million each from a total prize purse of KES 11.24 million.

In the supporting races, Nahason Kipsang and Orba Chemurgor won the men's and women's 21km Half Marathon titles, Alfred Kimani and Joy Cheptoyek triumphed in the 10km race, while Samuel Kuria and Mercyline Ajenjo dominated the 21km wheelchair categories.

Half Marathon, wheelchair and 10km winners earned KES 300,000 and KES 200,000 respectively, with KES 100,000 awarded to each winning Corporate Relay and PWD team.

Record Sponsorship, Record Impact

This year's marathon was backed by a record KES 273 million in sponsorship, underpinning a field that included over 400 elite athletes and reinforcing the race's World Athletics Road Race Label status.

Beyond the podium, the marathon delivered on impact. Organizers announced that KES 76 million raised through registration fees will go directly to community programmes supported by the Standard Chartered Foundation, which focuses on helping young people learn, earn and grow through education, employability and entrepreneurship.

The 2026 proceeds push the total funds raised since the marathon's inception to KES 596 million, with a special focus on expanding economic opportunities for young people, women and persons with disabilities.

"This marathon brings the world to Nairobi and turns a shared passion for running into opportunities that last beyond race day. Runners from more than 100 nationalities demonstrate sport's power to connect people; the funds they help raise support young people to build skills, find employment and grow businesses," the bank said.

Experience, Integrity and Sustainability

Behind the numbers was a deliberate focus on runner experience. This year's edition featured 19 hydration stations, roaming bicycle medics, dedicated muscle relief stations, improved post-race recovery services and downloadable digital finisher certificates.

"The strength of an international marathon is not just the size of its field, but the quality of the experience and the integrity of the competition," said David Mwindi, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee.

"From elite athletes chasing a podium place to recreational runners pursuing a personal goal, every participant deserves dependable support. Our focus was on getting the essentials right: accurate timing, medical care, hydration and recovery."

Mwindi added that the World Athletics Label reflects standards upheld across course measurement, timing, medical support and anti-doping, with selected top finishers undergoing testing in collaboration with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

In a push for environmental sustainability, every finisher received a tree seedling to plant, contributing to a target of 40,000 trees in partnership with Nairobi City County. Other measures included waste segregation, recycling and efforts to reduce single-use plastics.

Women Lead the Pack

The 2026 registration data showed a historic shift, with women accounting for the majority of runners — 15,796 (51.5%) compared to 14,904 men (48.5%).

Millennials dominated the field with 15,544 registrations (50.6%), followed by Gen Z at 10,175 (33.1%), Gen X at 3,782 (12.3%) and Gen Alpha at 920 (3.0%). Overall, 86% of participants were aged 45 and below.

Demand was so high that registration closed as early as July after all 30,700 slots were filled months before race day.

Held on the closed Southern Bypass, the 23rd edition combined elite racing with mass participation, cementing Nairobi's place on the global marathon map — not just as the home of champions, but as a city that runs for a purpose.