By Pura Vida Sports Africa Reporter
The weekend of October 17–18 witnessed an extraordinary showcase of distance running across the globe, defined by a distinct East African stranglehold on major label road races alongside sensational national records tumbling across Europe.
At the Amsterdam Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label event, Ethiopian athletes completely dominated the women's field. Buze Diriba secured the title in a course record and lifetime best of 2:16:12, establishing a comfortable margin ahead of last year's champion Ayanlam Desta, who clocked a personal best of 2:17:06, and Meseret Belete, who took third in 2:18:06.
Ethiopia's 32-year-oldLemi Berhanu produced a massive negative split to win the 2026 Amsterdam Marathon in 2:03:33. (Photo / TCS Amsterdam Marathon)
Kenya's Rebecca Chepkwemoi finished as the top non-Ethiopian runner in seventh place with a time of 2:22:48. In the men’s division, 32-year-old Ethiopian Lemi Berhanu produced a massive negative split to win in 2:03:33, shaving a full minute off his decade-old personal best and missing the course record by an agonizing two seconds.
Following Berhanu, a formidable wave of Kenyan athletes swept the next seven positions, led onto the podium by World Half Marathon silver medalist Nicholas Kipkorir in a personal best of 2:03:39 and Patrick Mosin in a personal best of 2:03:58.
The depth of the field was historic, with the top eight finishers breaking the 2:05 barrier and Godwin Katakura finishing 12th to establish a Zimbabwean national record of 2:06:23.
Tamirat Tola Sets Beijing Course Record
In China, Olympic champion Tamirat Tola dismantled the field at the Beijing Marathon to win in a spectacular course record and Chinese all-comers' record of 2:03:10. Tola crossed the line more than a minute clear of two-time world 5,000-metre champion Muktar Edris, while Adana Kebede Gebre secured a personal best of 2:05:10 to complete an all-Ethiopian podium sweep.
Anchinalu Dessie completed the Ethiopian double by successfully defending her title in the women's race in 2:20:36.
Meanwhile, at the Yellow River Estuary Dongying Marathon, Kenya's Ezra Tanui claimed the men's victory in 2:10:59, while Ethiopia's Roman Gidey secured the women's title in 2:27:48.
Kenya’s Onchari Clocks 2:04:55 in Slovenia
The Ljubljana Marathon featured dual course records as Ethiopia's Haftamnesh Tesfay won a close women's race in a lifetime best of 2:19:17, narrowly holding off a personal-best performance from Kenya's Esther Chemtai by seven seconds.
Kenya's Enock Ochari took the men's crown in a course record and personal best of 2:04:55, executing a brilliant negative split to beat fellow countryman Hilary Kipkoech.
Kenya's Enock Ochari took the 2026 Ljubljana Marathon men's crown in a course record and personal best of 2:04:55. (Photo / Courtesy)
Over the half-marathon distance, global track stars asserted their dominance on the roads. World cross country and half marathon champion Agnes Ngetich put on a masterclass at the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon, tearing away from the field to register a massive course record and Japanese all-comers' record of 64:23, winning by more than four minutes. Alexander Mutiso completed the Kenyan sweep in Tokyo, clocking a course record of 59:51 to hold off Kiprono Sitonik.
Matata Big Deal in Delhi
At the New Delhi Half Marathon, Charles Matata led a dominant Kenyan 1-2-3 sweep, winning in a personal best and course record of 58:52 ahead of Samwel Mailu and Stanley Waithaka. The women's crown went to Ethiopia's Wudinesh Alemu, who clocked a stunning World U20 best and personal best of 66:35.
In Canada, Leah Jeruto kept the Kenyan momentum going by winning the Toronto Marathon in 2:21:19 ahead of Ethiopia's Nigsti Haftu, while Leonard Langat led another Kenyan podium sweep in the men's race in 2:06:51.
At the Rome Half Marathon, former 800-meter track Olympian Netsanet Desta transitioned effortlessly to the roads to win in a personal best of 67:26, while Kenya's Felix Kibet Masai captured the men's title in a course record of 59:22. Ethiopia's Mulugeta Uma rounded out the major label marathon victories by claiming the Gyeongju Marathon in 2:06:56, edging Kenya's Robert Kimutai by three seconds.
Agnes Ngetich put on a masterclass at the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon, tearing away from the field to register a massive course record and Japanese all-comers' record of 64:23. (Photo / Courtesy)
Ethiopians Dominate Cross Country
Away from the marathons, the Cross Internacional Zornotza in Spain saw World 5km champion Likina Amebaw of Ethiopia sprint to a clear victory in the senior women's 8.7-kilometre race in 28:41. In the men's division, Egide Ntakarutimana led a 1-2 finish for Burundi in 25:18, with Kenya's Peter Rono taking third.
At the Bilbao Night Half Marathon, Ethiopia's Diniya Abaraya claimed the women's race in 69:16, while Uganda's Deogracius Musobo won his distance debut in a course record of 60:34. In Italy, Diamond League steeplechase champion Gemechu Godana won the Corsa dei Castelli 10-kilometer in 27:47, narrowly beating Uganda’s U20 runner Thomas Cheptoyek.
The weekend also produced historic national milestones across Europe and South Africa. In Jarrow, Olympian Gabriela DeBues-Stafford made a sensational official 10-kilometre debut, winning the race by over two minutes in 31:37.
Her performance shattered Lynn Williams' 37-year-old Canadian record of 31:44, which had stood unbroken since 1989.
Skiier Shines in 10km Road Race
In Hole, Norway, former cross-country skiing icon Therese Johaug clocked a world-class lifetime best of 30:50 to win the Hytteplanmila 10K, pulling Sweden's Meraf Bahta to a Swedish national record of 30:55. Portugal's José Carlos Pinto took the men's title in 27:58, holding off Norwegian favorite Narve Gilje Nordås.
Further localized road honors were settled in Portsmouth, where Kadar Omar won the Great South Run 10-miler in 47:26 and Hannah Irwin claimed the women's title in 53:34. National titles were also decided in Potchefstroom, crowning Zanele Maisa and Tiisang Molopi as the new South African 10-kilometer champions, while Žofia Hujsová and Peter Ďurec claimed the Slovak 5-kilometre road running titles in Bratislava.
Alexander Mutiso completed a Kenyan sweep at the okyo Legacy Half Marathon, clocking a course record of 59:51 to hold off compatriot Kiprono Sitonik. (Photo / Courtesy)
Summarised results:
The top finishers for selected major weekend races:
World Athletics Platinum & Gold Label Marathons:
Amsterdam Marathon (Men):
Lemi Berhanu (Ethiopia) — 2:03:33
Nicholas Kipkorir (Kenya) — 2:03:39
Patrick Mosin (Kenya) — 2:03:58
Amsterdam Marathon (Women):
Buze Diriba (Ethiopia) — 2:16:12
Ayanlam Desta (Ethiopia) — 2:17:06
Meseret Belete (Ethiopia) — 2:18:06
Beijing Marathon (Men):
Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia) — 2:03:10
Muktar Edris (Ethiopia) — 2:04:34
Adana Kebede Gebre (Ethiopia) — 2:05:10
Ljubljana Marathon (Men):
Enock Ochari (Kenya) — 2:04:55
Hilary Kipkoech (Kenya) — 2:05:08
Oqbe Kibrom (Eritrea) — 2:05:46
Ljubljana Marathon (Women):
Haftamnesh Tesfay (Ethiopia) — 2:19:17
Esther Chemtai (Kenya) — 2:19:24
Tigist Gezahegn (Ethiopia) — 2:20:04
World Athletics Gold & Elite Label Half Marathons:
Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon (Women):
Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) — 1:04:23
Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Kenya) — 1:08:28
Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon (Men):
Alexander Mutiso (Kenya) — 59:51
Kiprono Sitonik (Kenya) — 59:56
James Mutuku (Kenya) — 1:00:08
New Delhi Half Marathon (Men):
Charles Matata (Kenya) — 58:52
Samwel Mailu (Kenya) — 59:24
Stanley Waithaka (Kenya) — 59:33
New Delhi Half Marathon (Women):
Wudinesh Alemu (Ethiopia) — 1:06:35
Selah Busienei (Kenya) — 1:07:01
Cynthia Chepkwony (Kenya) — 1:07:32
Toronto Waterfront Marathon (Men):
Leonard Langat (Kenya) — 2:06:51
Fanny Kiprotich (Kenya) — 2:07:21
Noah Kipkemboi (Kenya) — 2:07:25
Toronto Waterfront Marathon (Women):
Leah Jeruto (Kenya) — 2:21:19
Nigsti Haftu (Ethiopia) — 2:21:34
Ayinadis Teshome (Ethiopia) — 2:22:51
Rome Half Marathon (Men):
Felix Kibet Masai (Kenya) — 59:22
Ataklti Kidanu (Ethiopia) — 59:38
Elisha Kiprop (Kenya) — 1:00:13
Rome Half Marathon (Women):
Netsanet Desta (Ethiopia) — 1:07:26
Regina Wambui (Kenya) — 1:07:48
Yalemget Yaregal (Ethiopia) — 1:08:22
Gyeongju Marathon (Men):
Mulugeta Uma (Ethiopia) — 2:06:56
Robert Kimutai (Kenya) — 2:06:59
Solomon Timo (Kenya) — 2:07:05
Cross Country & European Circuits:
Cross Internacional Zornotza (Women's 8.7km):
Likina Amebaw (Ethiopia) — 28:41
Francine Niyomukunzi (Burundi) — 29:12
Mirriam Cherop (Kenya) — 29:17
Cross Internacional Zornotza (Men's 8.7km):
Egide Ntakarutimana (Burundi) — 25:18
Elie Sindayikengdera (Burundi) — 25:48
Peter Rono (Kenya) — 25:53
Hytteplanmila 10K (Women):
Therese Johaug (Norway) — 30:50
Meraf Bahta (Sweden) — 30:55
Hanne Mjøen Maridal (Norway) — 30:56
Hytteplanmila 10K (Men):
José Carlos Pinto (Portugal) — 27:58
Narve Gilje Nordås (Norway) — 28:04
Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen (Norway) — 28:28
Bilbao Night Half Marathon (Men):
Deogracius Musobo (Uganda) — 1:00:34
Evans Kipkorir (Kenya) — 1:00:45
Teshager Alemayehu (Ethiopia) — 1:00:47
Bilbao Night Half Marathon (Women):
Diniya Abaraya (Ethiopia) — 1:09:16
Sharon Kiptugen (Kenya) — 1:10:04
Winsam Jerono (Kenya) — 1:10:13
Great South Run 10-Miler (Men):
Kadar Omar (Great Britain) — 47:26
Andrew Butchart (Great Britain) — 47:50
Great South Run 10-Miler (Women):
Hannah Irwin (Great Britain) — 53:34
Verity Ockenden (Great Britain) — 53:37
(Results courtesy of EME News)
