The 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, taking place on Sunday, 24 May, has unveiled its deepest and fastest elite field in the event’s 15-year history, headlined by the greatest marathon runner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge.
Added to this, there is an prize purse of nearly R5 million, an increase of 37 per cent. When all the record incentives are added, the total prize purse on offer amounts to a massive R6.6 million.
The men’s field includes 14 athletes with a career best under 2:08, three of whom have broken 2:05, while the women’s field boasts nine athletes who have gone under 2:22, meaning both course records are firmly under threat on race day.
The best times to date in the event were both posted in the 2024 edition. Ethiopian Abdisa Tola won the men’s race in 2:08:16, while South Africa’s Glenrose Xaba set both the women’s course record and a new SA Record when she crossed the line in 2:22:22.
The 2026 race will see more than 27 000 marathon runners lining up, with many not just chasing fast times on the super-fast course but also incentivised to earn an Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) finisher’s star.
The race is currently a candidate for AbbottWMM status, and the AbbottWMM team has announced that athletes who complete the 2026 edition of the Mother City race will be awarded provisional finisher’s stars, which will then be officially recognised if Cape Town achieves its second evaluation pass in 2026 and becomes Africa’s first Major.
“Africa does not often get the opportunity on the global stage to celebrate its excellence and being the best in the world.
“We understand the responsibility and privilege we, as the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, now have with this opportunity, as we host 8500 international participants and their families from 102 countries, including 25 African countries, as well as 1800 of the world’s best age group marathon runners here for the Abbott World Marathon Majors MTT Age Group World Champs,” said Clark Gardner, CEO of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
“To deliver on our opportunity, we have also assembled the very best marathon elite and wheelchair field the African continent has ever seen. Lead by the best marathon runner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge, we have at least 15 starters in each gender who could break our course and African All-comers records.
“The balance of international and South African legends of the sport with the stars of the future, and a healthy mix of African spirit, should make for an incredible race come 24 May 2026,” added Gardner.