Running News Daily

Eric Kiptanui delivered a superb performance on Colombian soil to win the 2026 Medellín Marathon, leading a Kenyan one-two finish in the streets of the City of Eternal Spring.

Kiptanui crossed the finish line in 2:17:36, securing a convincing victory ahead of compatriot Joseph Kiptum, who stopped the clock at 2:18:09. Colombia’s Carlos Patiño completed the podium in 2:19:14, giving the home crowd a reason to celebrate after a fiercely contested marathon.

The Medellín Marathon presents a distinctive challenge for distance runners. The city sits at a significant elevation above sea level, meaning athletes must contend not only with the physical demands of 42.195 kilometres but also with reduced oxygen availability compared with races held closer to sea level. On a course where endurance and pacing are crucial, maintaining strength deep into the second half of the race can make all the difference.

Kiptanui appeared equal to the challenge, producing the strongest performance when it mattered most. Over the closing stages, the Kenyan held his composure and preserved enough energy to finish ahead of the chasing field, completing the marathon in 2:17:36 and securing the victory.

Behind him, Kiptum showed impressive resilience to finish just 33 seconds adrift of his fellow Kenyan. His 2:18:09 was enough to secure a second-place finish and complete Kenya’s dominance at the top of the standings. Patiño, meanwhile, fought his way to 2:19:14, becoming the leading Colombian finisher and claiming a hard-earned third place in front of the home supporters.

The result also highlighted the depth of Kenyan marathon running. With two athletes occupying the top two positions, Kenya once again demonstrated the combination of endurance, tactical discipline and competitive experience that has made the nation such a formidable force across road racing and marathon competition.

For Kiptanui, however, the spotlight belonged entirely to him. From the opening kilometres to the decisive final stretch, he kept his focus on the ultimate objective — victory. When the long battle through Medellín finally came to an end, it was the Kenyan who had done enough to stand alone at the top of the podium.

The Final Podium

1.  Eric Kiptanui — Kenya — 2:17:36

2. Joseph Kiptum — Kenya — 2:18:09

3.  Carlos Patiño — Colombia — 2:19:14

It was a performance built on strength, patience and mental toughness, with Kiptanui mastering one of the marathon’s most unforgiving tests: staying composed when fatigue begins to take over.

Medellín witnessed a Kenyan masterclass — and Eric Kiptanui walked away as its champion. Patiño’s third-place finish provided a proud moment for Colombian athletics.

In the year 1994, thanks to the initiative of Camacol Antioquia and the Athletics League of Antioquia, the dream of a road race began in Medellín, the first in Colombia.

Today, 25 years later, the Medellín Marathon, with its four distances – 42K, 21K, 10K and 5K –has become the most important race in the country and one of the most traditional in Latin America.

For this twenty-fifth edition, on September 8, 15,000 runners from more than 262 towns in Colombia and more than 45 countries are expected.

“This Sunday, September 8, 2019 we will perform a safe and very special marathon,” said Gustavo Orozco, director of the race, to explain the preparations prepared to ensure the safety of the marathon. The operation will involve logistics personnel, police officers and more than 150 traffic agents with units that will support the route as it passes through Medellín, Envigado and Sabaneta.

The main deployment will be in the streets of the race, where total closures will be mounted on the vast majority of the roads and an important medical reinforcement with ambulances, roadside assistance posts and expert personnel led by the Vigías Group and with the support from CES University.

Gustavo Orozco explained that public transport services will be limited between 05:00 and 13:00 and runners will be invited to use the Metro, reaching the finish line through San Antonio station.

In the first edition of the event in 1995, two thousand people from five countries participated – and only a 1/3 marathon was run, i.e. 14 kilometres. The 21K was added the following year.

By 2013, the Marathon had the participation of more than 12 thousand athletes and in 2018 it approached 15 thousand athletes from Colombia and abroad. In the celebration of its 25 years, the Medellin Marathon 2019 hopes to reach a new participation record.