The 2021 Enschede Marathon runner-up Jonathan Korir is set for a titanic showdown against 2022 Nice Marathon champion John Langat as the two seasoned road warriors headline the men’s 42km race at the fifth edition of the Nairobi City Marathon tomorrow.
The annual spectacle will feature four race categories: the full marathon (42km), half marathon (21km), 10km race and the 5km Family Fun Run.
During the launch of this year’s event, race director Barnaba Korir revealed that the 2026 edition had attracted a formidable cast of elite athletes among the 17,450 registered participants.
“This year the Nairobi City Marathon has assembled an elite cast of marathoners who will take your breath away,” he said.
Korir enters the contest as the fastest man in the field, armed with a personal best of 2:04:32 clocked during his fourth-place finish at the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon.
The accomplished distance specialist will be making his first appearance over the classic distance this year and will be eager to hit the ground running after ending his 2025 campaign with a DNF at the Valencia Marathon in December.
Despite last year’s setback, Korir boasts an impressive marathon resume, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the 2021 Enschede Marathon in 2:06:40 and a third-place podium finish at the 2018 Zhengzhou Marathon in 2:14:25.
However, he will have to navigate stiff opposition from Langat, who already has a marathon under his belt this season.
Langat lined up at the Paris Marathon on April 12 but endured a difficult outing, crossing the finish line in 20th place after clocking 2:19:32.
Yet the experienced campaigner remains one of the most decorated athletes in the field.
His marathon credentials include victory at the Nice Marathon in 2021 in 2:10:25, alongside runner-up finishes in Daegu in 2016 (2:10:49), Annecy in 2017 (2:13:10) and Melbourne in 2017 (2:14:27).
Langat has also claimed third-place finishes at the 2019 Eindhoven Marathon in 2:07:11 and the 2022 Stockholm Marathon in 2:12:39.
In the men’s half marathon, the spotlight will shine on Felix Masai, the 2025 Loop Den Haag runner-up.
Masai will be keen to bounce back strongly after an underwhelming start to his 2026 season, having finished seventh in the 10km race in Lille in 27:24.
Adding to the event’s international flavour, athletes representing 75 nationalities, including Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, the USA, Japan and South Africa, are expected on the start line.
Korir, who also serves as the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) First Vice President and Athletics Kenya’s Youth Development Chair, noted that this year’s marathon had surpassed the organisers’ expectations.
“In three weeks the registration was completely full. The numbers have gone to levels we did not envisage,” Korir said.
“This year, we have surpassed every record set before. We have over 17,000 registered runners and registration is now closed. Our focus is on organising a successful event.”
Korir further highlighted the remarkable growth trajectory of the race since its inception in 2021.
“When we started, we had 10,000 runners, which was remarkable at the time. Then we grew to 13,000, then 15,000. Each year the positive impact has been overwhelming,” he added.
Athletics Kenya Competitions Director Kennedy Tanui described the Nairobi City Marathon as a fertile breeding ground for emerging talent.
“It is hard to predict the outcome of the Nairobi Marathon. This has been a marathon of budding talents.”
“New talents emerge every year. No one has successfully defended his or her title at the Nairobi Marathon.”
This year’s race will also usher in a key logistical shift, with City Hall Way serving as the new start point for all categories, while the finish line remains at Uhuru Park.
The action-packed programme will get underway at 6:45am with the men’s and women’s full marathon races.
The half marathon will follow at 9am, before the 10km race starts at 10am and the 5km Family Fun Run gets underway at 11am.
Winners of the men’s and women’s full marathon titles will each walk away with Sh3.5 million.
Second and third-place finishers will pocket Sh2.25 million and Sh1.5 million respectively.
Half marathon champions will earn Sh150,000, while second and third-place finishers will receive Sh80,000 and Sh50,000 respectively.
In the 10km race, podium finishers will take home Sh100,000, Sh60,000 and Sh40,000 respectively.
