Running News Daily

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Ezekiel Kemboi Omullo emerged victorious at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur Marathon, leading an impressive Kenyan performance as athletes from the East African nation claimed nine of the top 10 positions in the men’s race.

Omullo produced a winning performance of 2:21:15, edging compatriot John Nzau Mwangangi, who finished second in 2:21:23. Moses Kibet Kipsang completed the podium in 2:21:34, giving Kenya a clean sweep of the first three places.

The contest at the front was remarkably close, with the leading Kenyan athletes separated by only seconds. Samuel Kalalei matched Kipsang’s time of 2:21:34 to finish fourth, while James Tallam followed closely in fifth with 2:21:40.

Kenya’s strong showing continued with Julius Kipkorir Tuwei, who crossed the line sixth in 2:22:10. Ethiopia’s Asmera Tamiru Beshir was the only athlete from outside Kenya among the first seven, finishing seventh in 2:22:28.

The Kenyan dominance resumed behind Beshir, with Vincent Kipsang Mutai taking eighth in 2:23:08. Edwin Cheruiyot Soi finished ninth in 2:23:53, while Felix Kipsang Mutai completed the top 10 in 2:25:24.

The narrow margins among the front-runners made the men’s race particularly competitive. Omullo’s eight-second advantage over Mwangangi was the largest gap separating the top two, while Kipsang and Kalalei could not be separated on the clock after both recorded 2:21:34.

For Kenya, the result underlined the depth of its marathon talent. Nine of the 10 leading finishers came from Kenya, with the country occupying every position from first through sixth before Beshir interrupted the sequence in seventh.

Omullo ultimately took the headline victory, but the wider performance from the Kenyan contingent was equally striking. From the opening positions through the closing places of the top 10, Kenya maintained a commanding presence on the Kuala Lumpur results sheet.

2026 Kuala Lumpur Marathon — Men’s Top 10

1. Ezekiel Kemboi Omullo — Kenya — 2:21:15

2. John Nzau Mwangangi — Kenya — 2:21:23

3. Moses Kibet Kipsang — Kenya — 2:21:34

4. Samuel Kalalei — Kenya — 2:21:34

5. James Tallam — Kenya — 2:21:40

6. Julius Kipkorir Tuwei — Kenya — 2:22:10

7. Asmera Tamiru Beshir — Ethiopia — 2:22:28

8. Vincent Kipsang Mutai — Kenya — 2:23:08

9. Edwin Cheruiyot Soi — Kenya — 2:23:53

10. Felix Kipsang Mutai — Kenya — 2:25:24

Omullo’s triumph therefore came alongside a powerful collective showing from Kenya, with the 2026 Kuala Lumpur Marathon providing another showcase of the country’s remarkable depth in long-distance road racing.

Event organizers are optimistic about witnessing one of the fastest men's races in the history of the Los Angeles Marathon.

The spotlight will be on Kenya's Dominic Kipyegon Ngeno when the 2024 edition of the Los Angeles Marathon takes place on March 17.

Ngeno clinched the third spot at the Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands last October, achieving a personal best of 2:07:26 and is set to lead the elite field  in what promises to be a thrilling race.

Ngeno's compatriot, Moses Kiptoo Kurgat, arrives in Los Angeles boasting a personal best of 2:08:40, following his recent triumph at the 2022 Kuala Lumpur Marathon, where he clocked an impressive 2:11:05. The duo's presence adds an extra layer of excitement to the event, showcasing Kenya's dominance in long-distance running.

Eritrean runners Tsegay Tuemay and Tesfu Weldegebreal, who have been honing their skills in Flagstaff, Arizona, are also set to make their mark. Tuemay, with a personal best of 2:09:07, claimed victory at the McKirdy Micro Marathon in New York last October in a time of 2:11:04. Meanwhile, Weldegebreal, with a half marathon personal best of 62:48, is gearing up for his marathon debut.

Other contenders vying for the top spot include Cosmas Kiplimo from Kenya, boasting a 2:09:44 personal best and a third-place finish in the Geneva Marathon (2:10:44) in Switzerland last October. Sammy Rotich, a Kenyan who secured victory at the Austin Marathon (2:14:25) and achieved a personal best of 2:10:08 at Grandma's Marathon in 2022, will also be a force to be reckoned with. Ethiopia's Belay Tilahun Bezabh, winner of the 2019 NYC Half Marathon and with notable performances in Hamburg and Dalian Marathons, completes the formidable lineup.

Given the impressive credentials of these elite runners, the event organizers are optimistic about witnessing one of the fastest men's races in the history of the Los Angeles Marathon. 

The current fastest time ever recorded in Los Angeles is Ethiopia's Markos Geneti's remarkable 2:06:35 effort in 2011 on the Stadium to Sea course. The Stadium to Stars route's course record is held by Ethiopia's Bayelign Teshager, who clocked 2:08:26 in 2020, setting the stage for an exciting showdown among these elite athletes.

Defending champion Ezekiel Kemboi is bubbling with confidence ahead of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon.

The stage is set for a thrilling showdown at this year’s edition of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon as Ezekiel Kemboi Omullo and Bernard Kiprop Kipyego take it to the start line of the race.

Kemboi returns as the defending champion and he will face a stern test from Kipyego, a seasoned competitor who will also be keen to impress.

Kemboi won last year’s race in 2:20:20 and is returning to defend his title. He turned heads at the 2023 Gold Coast Marathon, securing the second position with a Personal Best time of 2:08:26.

In an exclusive interview with ToughASIA, Kemboi revealed that he has intensified his training to enhance his speed and endurance.

“I’ve prepared rigorously for this race, making sure I’m in peak condition. Each marathon is a new challenge, and I’m excited to give my best in Singapore.

"The setbacks only fuel my determination to succeed, and I’m ready to leave everything on the track,” Kemboi added.

Kemboi has enjoyed a blistering season but faced an unexpected setback in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2023, finishing sixth with a time of 2:14:50. He will be using the Singapore Marathon as he seeks redemption.

On his part, Bernard Kiprop Kipyego, is a decorated athlete with a laundry list of accomplishments that include a bronze medal at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and a silver medal at the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

Kenyan runners were clearly in a class of their own as they dominated the men’s and women’s open full marathon categories (42.195 km) of the 2022 Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) today.

In the event, which started and ended at Dataran Merdeka here, Moses Kiptoo Kurgat, who was making his debut, won the men’s category after clocking 2 hours 11 minutes and 6 seconds.

He defeated compatriots Kiprop Tonui and Ngare Joseph Mwangi, who finished second and third respectively with times of 2’15:23s and 2’16:06s.

Kurgat said he could have recorded a better time if not for the humid weather but was still satisfied with his performance.

In the women’s category, Shelmith Nyawira Muriuki won the race in 2’44:16s, beating compatriots Sheila Jepkosgei Chesang (2’45:15s) and Eunice Nyawira Muchiri (2’49:00s) into second and third places respectively.

“I was not expecting to win because there were so many strong opponents. God was the one that helped me today.

“It also feels good to win with my compatriots. When you win, your flag is flying high for the country,” Muriuki told reporters after the medal ceremony.

S. Poo Vasanthan emerged as the champion in the Malaysian men’s full marathon after recording 2’37:56s, while Noor Amelia Musa took home the title in the women’s category with a time of 3’13:59s.

Meanwhile, KLSCM project director Rainer Biemans said he was glad that the event went smoothly as planned, especially when it had been cancelled for two years due to Covid-19.

“It’s good to be back but we still hope to improve next year as there’s always a chance for us to improve. Maybe add a few more registrations for next year,” he told Bernama. 

Abraham Kibiwot was made to sweat before winning the 3,000m steeplechase gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium on Saturday.

Kibiwott had to weather strong challenge from India's Avinash Mukund Sable to win in eight minutes and 11.15 seconds.

Mukund claimed silver in a Personal Best time of 8:11.20 as 2021 World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase Amos Serem grabbed bronze in 8:16.83.

Defending champion Conseslus Kipruto finished sixth in 8:34.98.

It was the third victory for Kenya at the Games with Ferdinand Omanyala (100m) and Jackline Chepkoech (3,000m steeplechase) having won gold in their respective events.

It brought to 12 the number of medals for Kenya; three gold, three silver and six bronze.

It was the first time Kenya failed to sweep all the podium places since 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games.

"I am happy to finally win after I got silver in 2018. It feels good," said Kibiwott adding that Kenya could have lost the title to the Indian if he had failed to inject in the pace.

"I know Mukund well from the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. He has beaten me once at some Diamond League race," said Kibiwott explaining that he is now at peace after the Tokyo Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships disappointment. "I won't rest until we have the Olympic and World titles back in Kenya," explained Kibiwott.

"I thank God for bronze. It was a fast race but I am happy Kibiwott's tactics worked otherwise it could have been bad. We thank God this far we have reached," said Serem.

"My lower back problem recurred midway through the race hence I couldn't push any further. I had to slow down," said Kipruto. "It's not a good performance but I am glad I finished the race. There's nothing much you can do with an injury."

THE Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) announced the introduction of its inaugural Virtual Run, which will take place from Dec 5 to 13 and offers free registration.

Organised by Dirigo Events and with Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia as title sponsor, the KLSCM 2020 Virtual Run will offer the full marathon, half marathon, 10km and 5km distance categories.

“We wanted to create something for our runners that would motivate and re-energize everyone about running again because without events to train for, enthusiasm levels often drop easily, ” said Dirigo Events director Rainer Biemans.

“And with the pandemic continuing to spread, it is now more important than ever for all of us to maintain our health at optimum levels and keep our immune systems strong.

“We also understand that a lot of people are struggling financially at the moment, so we decided to make registrations free of charge to encourage as many people as possible to take part, ” added Biemans.

Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia is eager to play its part in encouraging Malaysians to maintain a healthy lifestyle in these trying times.

“In response to our runners’ enthusiasm to stay fit virtually and remotely, we are delighted to elevate their running experience with the new and interactive KLSCM virtual run, ” said the bank’s managing director and chief executive officer Abrar A. Anwar.

“We hope that the continued commitment of our KLSCM sponsorship will provide tangible ways for runners to keep active and engaged during such testing times, ” he added.

KLSCM Virtual Run is designed to provide a proper challenge to participants who are required to complete their entered distance in a single attempt.

Runners will receive an e-bib once successfully registered and an e-certificate upon completion.

A dedicated digital application – the KLSCM 2020 VR app – has been developed that can be downloaded for free and will enable participants to track their run, submit their results, share their activity feed.

The application comes packed with a host of other engaging features such as category leaderboards and even an Augmented Reality selfie filter.

There will also be no limits or quotas to the participation numbers for any distance or category.

Participation will only be limited by age (12 years old and above for 5km, 15 years old and above for 10km and 18 years old and above for half and full marathons).

In addition, there will be no specific cut-off times for each distance.

Participants can complete their run anywhere outdoors, at a location of their choice, any time between 12.01am on Dec 5 and 11.59pm on Dec 13,2020 (GMT+8).

Each successful registration is entered into the runner’s KLSCM participation history.

The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2020 has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The health and safety of runners, organizing crew, volunteers, medical personnel, officials and police personnel, remained its top priority, said the organizers in a statement released today.

“We will automatically defer all individual registrations for this year to the following year.

“We plan to have KLSCM 2021 in the second week of June, pending confirmation from the city council,” said KLSCM project director Rainer Biemans.

He said the organizers could not find an available replaceable date or venue that would be suitable for an event of the magnitude for this year’s KLSCM.

“We have therefore decided that the only possible course of action would be to cancel this year’s event.

“This was not an easy decision as we understand the significance of the amount of time and preparation that has been put into this year’s event by all parties.

“Thank you to all our runners, volunteers and fans for your support and understanding,” he said.

He said all remaining Running Clinics, the Race Entry Pack Collection(REPC) and the Active Lifestyle Expo for KLSCM 2020 have also been cancelled.

However, he said the Run For A Reason (RFAR) charity initiative would continue until May 14 and all funds raised thus far would be disbursed to the respective charity beneficiaries.

“We implore everyone who is a part of the KLSCM family, and the wider national and global community to do their respective parts in combating the coronavirus.

“We have updated our frequently-asked questions (FAQ) section on our website to address this,” he said.

Runners can also follow KLSCM Facebook and Instagram pages or subscribe to their newsletter for further updates.

KLSCM 2020 was scheduled to be held on June 13 and 14 this year.

Three runners participating in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2019 were injured after a car plugged through safety barriers before hitting them.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that one of the runners was seriously injured while two others escaped with minor injuries.

A traffic police spokesperson from Ampang Jaya police headquarters told FMT that the car rammed into safety barriers set up along the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road (MRR2) heading towards Gombak before crashing into the runners.

One of the victim’s colleagues posted on Facebook appealing for eye-witnesses to come forward and facilitate investigations.

The car driver is believed to have fled the scene, leaving the victim seriously injured. The make and model of the car is also unknown at the moment.

The victim’s colleague, who identified himself as Onizuka Rizuan, said his co-worker fractured his hip and pelvis and also suffered injuries to his head and hands.

The victim, aged 44, is believed to be in stable condition and is expected to undergo surgery. He is believed to be a constituency aide to former sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is MP for Rembau. A photo posted on Onizuka’s page shows Khairy at the victim’s bedside.

Marathon organizers said this evening that they providing offering assistance to those affected by the incident and that they were cooperating with the authorities.

Sports minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman urged the authorities to “take swift action” and locate the driver who broke through the safety barriers.

The KL Marathon is an annual event held since 1989. More than 30,000 people took part in this year’s event, together with about 1,900 running tourists from 73 countries.

The 11th edition of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon (SCKLM) promises to be an exciting affair as Kuala Lumpur prepares to receive its biggest ever contingent of runners from the whole of Malaysia and the rest of the world on  September 28 and 29 at Dataran Merdeka.

The marathon, owned and organized by Dirigo Events, will see participation from 40,000 runners, ranging from elite athletes to first-time distance runners.

An international event, the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2019 boasts participants from all over Malaysia and over 70 countries.

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2019 remains Malaysia’s premier running event with top runners competing for a total of US$125,000 in prize money.

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon has grown to become the premier distance running event in Malaysia that draws thousands of local and international runners to the country whilst firmly establishing Malaysia in the global running calendar.

This year's edition will be the largest yet, including 1,900 running tourists from 73 countries from around the world, and will once again see sponsorship from Title Sponsor Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, along with Under Armour, 100 Plus, Seiko, Jaybird, Pacific Regency, Banana Boat and TudungPeople.