Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest men’s marathon runner, has announced that he will be on the start line at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on May 24 on what is the first step of his ‘World Tour’.
The 11-time Abbott World Marathon Major winner is planning to run seven marathons in seven continents over the next two years and Cape Town will be the first part of ‘Eliud’s Running World’.
The 41-year-old Kenyan athlete, who won his first Abbott World Marathon Major at the 2014 Chicago Marathon, went on to win 10 additional titles, with five at Berlin, four in London, and one in Tokyo.
And then in 2019 he achieved what many thought was impossible, running 1:59:40 in Vienna as part of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.
Over the next two years he will use the platform to spread the “gospel of running” while raising funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which supports education and environmental causes.
Where it all began
“Africa is where my journey as a runner began and where the foundation of my success is deeply rooted,” said Kipchoge.
“To start this World Tour in Cape Town is very special. It is about celebrating the strength of African running and inspiring the next generation. To race my first ever marathon on the African continent holds deep meaning for me. Cape Town, I can’t wait!”
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is currently a candidate for Abbott World Marathon Majors status and a second successful pass will see the African race officially join the global running series next year.
Kipchoge and the other 27,000 runners will be granted a provisional star which will be upgraded should Cape Town become a full Major.
“Eliud represents the very best of what running can inspire,” said Clark Gardner, CEO of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
“To see him race our streets, meet our communities and engage with young runners across the city will be incredibly powerful. Moments like this remind us what is possible when the world’s greatest athletes connect with the places and people that shaped the sport.”
Shanghai moves to second stage
Meanwhile the Abbott World Marathon Majors could encompass nine races in 2027.
Sydney was added in 2025 as the seventh, Cape Town is poised to be number eight and now Shanghai looks in pole position to be the ninth after it was announced that it will now proceed to the second stage of the candidacy process in its attempt to join the series.
The marathon was assessed for the second time in November 2025 and met all the criteria set by the Abbott World Marathon Majors in order to pass stage one.
Shanghai will now be required to meet the criteria for a second consecutive year when it stages its next marathon on December 6, 2026.
If it is successful, the race would join the Majors in 2027.
“We have seen a fantastic level of commitment from the Shanghai team throughout their candidacy,” said AbbottWMM CEO, Dawna Stone.
“Their hard work has put them firmly on the pathway to success and our evaluation team was very impressed with the event they witnessed in November. We have high hopes that the race will continue on its promising trajectory and make their dream a reality.”
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