Cape Town Marathon Breaks African Record in Epic Comeback

Cape Town's marathon came roaring back from last year's devastating weather cancellation with the fastest times ever seen on African soil.

Ethiopia's Mohamed Esa blazed across the finish line in 2:04:55 on Sunday, obliterating the previous course record by more than three minutes. His time marks the fastest marathon ever run on the African continent, beating a record that stood since 2020.

The story gets better. Perfect May sunshine helped all top 10 male runners finish faster than the old course record. Organizers had moved the race from its traditional October slot after last year's cancellation, and the gamble paid off spectacularly.

"They gave me a chance to run in my homeland, and it was very special," said Esa after his historic win. The final kilometers turned into a thrilling sprint between Esa and fellow Ethiopian Yihunilign Adane, who finished just four seconds behind.

Kenya's Kalipus Lomwai rounded out the podium, smashing his personal best by eight minutes. Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge drew massive crowds despite finishing 16th, and Esa waited at the finish line to congratulate his role model.

Ethiopia's Dera Dida won the women's race in 2:23:18 after a decisive late break. She claimed the victory felt extra special winning "in my homeland in Africa," though she narrowly missed the course record set in 2024.

The Ripple Effect

The record-breaking day extended beyond the elite races. Switzerland's Manuela Schär dominated the women's wheelchair race, crushing the previous course record by nearly 10 minutes with her 1:43:25 finish. Britain's David Weir set a new men's wheelchair record at 1:30:20.

South African athletes swept the 10km Peace Run the day before, with Maxime Chaumeton and Tayla Kavanagh both setting new course records. Kavanagh claimed her third consecutive title while improving her personal best.

The spectacular comeback couldn't come at a better time. Cape Town holds candidate status for the Abbott World Marathon Majors and is fighting to become the first African race in the prestigious global circuit. Last year's cancellation had disrupted evaluation, but Sunday's success sends a powerful message.

The performance proves Africa deserves its seat at the world's most elite marathon table.