The Cape Town International Airport was abuzz with excitement on Tuesday as Kenyan running superstar Eliud Kipchoge arrived in the Mother City for the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, taking place on Sunday, 24 May, has quickly become Africa’s premier marathon and is currently a candidate for Abbott World Marathon Majors status.
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Kipchoge, a double Olympic Marathon champion, two-time world record-breaker, and the first man to run a sub-two-hour marathon, has chosen Cape Town as the first stop for his Eliud’s Running World tour. This tour will see him tackle a series of seven marathons across all continents over the next two years, aiming to inspire people to lead healthier lives while uniting the world through running. For more information on his tour, visit Eliud’s Running World website.
A Warm Welcome to the Mother City
Eliud Kipchoge was met at the airport by the Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, CEO of the Cape Town Marathon, Clark Gardner, the event organising team from Faces, and media.
Kipchoge expressed his excitement to run with the local running community and start his seven-continent journey in Cape Town. He stated, “Africa is where my journey as a runner began, and where the foundation of my success is deeply rooted. 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.”
He added, “I know South Africa is a really sporting nation, but I want to make more and more South Africans run. Above all, I want to run a beautiful race with all 27 000 people who have registered to participate in the marathon. It will be a beautiful day, it will be a historic day for all of us, to assemble as Africans and run together, go through the finishing line, and make Cape Town a World Major Marathon.”
Bringing the Majors to Africa
The Cape Town Marathon aims to bring Africa its first Major and create a global stage where African athletes can compete at the highest level on home soil. Becoming a Major will put the Mother City’s marathon on the same level as marathons in New York, London, Berlin, Tokyo, and other cities, making it one of the most sought-after global marathoning destinations.
A Strong Field of Runners
Eliud Kipchoge will line up in one of the strongest fields ever assembled for an African marathon, with both the men’s and women’s course records under threat from the star-studded line-up. The winning man will need to cross the line in less than 2:08:16, while the women will need to beat Glenrose Xaba’s South African Record of 2:22:22.
Ready for a Beautiful Experience
Kipchoge is looking forward to Sunday’s race, saying, “Cape Town is a beautiful city, and I hope on Sunday it will be a beautiful race, whereby we bring all the people out to run in the streets. I want to help grow this event to 60 000 participants, and help it become a Major. As an African, I’m rooting for it, I’m pushing for it. We don’t have a Major marathon in Africa yet, but this is a growing continent, and it’s our time as Africans to have Cape Town as one of the World Majors.”
