After crossing the line in 13th place at the 2025 Nairobi City Marathon, Joy Kemuma returned as a transformed athlete at the 2026 edition, producing a commanding performance to storm to victory in the women’s race on Sunday.
Kemuma clocked 2:27:43 to claim the title in emphatic fashion, comfortably ahead of Jacinta Chepkoech, who timed 2:30:48 for second place. Nancy Jepleting completed the podium in 2:31:07.
The victory marked a remarkable turnaround for Kemuma, who was all smiles after delivering the performance of her career on the streets of Nairobi.
“I am so happy to finish first today,” Kemuma said.
She revealed that the lessons learned from last year’s disappointing outing played a key role in her triumphant return.
“I ran last year and I was able to finish 13th.”
“Last year I had not trained well, but I ensured this year that I was fully prepared and I am glad I won,” she said.
Kemuma noted that her preparations for this year’s marathon included a crucial tune-up race at the Eldoret City Marathon on April 26.
In Eldoret, she clocked 2:32:24 to finish fifth, a performance she believes laid the foundation for Sunday’s breakthrough victory.
“I had prepared well for the race. I had run at the Eldoret City Marathon where I finished fifth. That gave me confidence,” she noted.
Chepkoech, who trains in Kapsabet under coach Joel Kipletting, admitted the race developed into a stern test of endurance and resilience.
“The race was very tough, but I persevered and I was able to make the podium,” she said.
Like Kemuma, Chepkoech was delighted with her significant improvement from last year’s edition of the capital city showpiece.
“I ran last year and I finished 14th. I thank God that today I was able to finish on the podium,” she said.
Chepkoech revealed that targeted hill sessions proved instrumental in sharpening her strength and competitiveness for the demanding course.
“Last year I saw that I was not fast on the hilly areas, so I decided to focus on hillwork before coming here.
“My last marathon was last year, where I won. That gave me motivation for 2026,” she said.
Meanwhile, Jepleting said she had been building towards the Nairobi City Marathon since March, with her disciplined preparation ultimately paying dividends with a podium finish.
“I had trained well for the race since March so that I could give a good performance,” she said.
For now, Jepleting plans to head home, recover from the effort and assess her next assignment.
“Now I am just going to train more before I decide on my next race,” she said.