Cape Town will learn in the next two to three weeks whether it has been successful in its bid to become the eighth Abbott World Marathon Major.
But all the signs are promising and Sunday’s edition had a very special guest as the marathon GOAT Eliud Kipchoge took part – his first marathon race on African soil and the first stop on his world tour following his retirement from competitive running.
‘Eliud’s Running World Tour’ will see him tackle a series of seven marathons across all the continents over the next two years, to inspire people to lead healthier lives while uniting the world through running.
‘Eliud is my role model’
The two-time Olympic Marathon Champion and winner of 11 Majors finished 16th in Cape Town in 2:13:29, being cheered by adoring fans from start to finish.
Indeed one man who made a point of waiting for him at the finish line was men’s race winner Mohamed Esa who explained: “Eliud is my role model, and I love and respect him so much, so I was so proud to race with him and finish this race with him today on our home continent. I wanted to show the world that we are the same family of African runners.”
Creating a legacy
And Kipchoge had nothing but praise for the event, telling the race organisers afterwards: “I have run all the Majors in the world, but 24 May 2026 is the day that I believe the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will become an Abbott World Marathon Majors event.
“I believe that all one billion Africans should be proud of this race, and that we are creating a real legacy for Africa by making the Cape Town Marathon a World Major.
“My highlight was all those people on the road who were singing for all of us runners, for the whole day, giving us support and morale. Those are the real heroes of the Cape Town Marathon. They were singing for the whole of Africa, and those were the people that really touched my heart. All the spectators and fans were wonderful, uniting as Africans, and I feel I am leaving a part of myself here in Cape Town,” added Kipchoge.
Family pride
There was added cause for celebration too as Cape Town was also a first ever marathon for Kipchoge’s wife Grace.
He added: “I could not do this without the support of many including my family. My heart is filled with pride, for my wife Grace completing her first marathon in Cape Town. ❤️”
Next stop on Eliud’s World Tour is Porto Alegre in Brazil.
