Running News Daily

The stage is set for an unforgettable day of road racing as the Rimi Riga Marathon prepares to host one of the strongest elite half marathon fields in its history on May 17, 2026. With international stars from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Germany, and Japan confirmed for the 21km showdown, the streets of Riga are expected to witness a breathtaking display of endurance, tactical brilliance, and raw speed.

The men’s field is packed with proven sub-one-hour performers capable of producing a blistering pace from the opening kilometers. Kenya’s Robert Kiprop Koech and James Kipkogei headline a powerful Kenyan challenge after recording personal bests of 59:51 and 59:31 respectively. Both athletes arrive in Riga carrying the reputation of fearless racers with the ability to dominate fast-paced road contests.

Tanzania’s Gabriel Gerald Geay adds even greater depth to the lineup. With a personal best of 59:18 and years of experience competing against the world’s best, Geay remains one of the strongest contenders for victory. Kenya's Alfred Kipchirchir Mukche and Charles Mbatha Matata are also expected to play major roles, while Japan’s Tomoya Ogikubo brings international flair and tactical discipline to the elite contest.

Equally captivating will be the women’s race, where some of the world’s finest distance runners are preparing for a fierce battle over 21 kilometers. Leading the field is Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi, the two-time Boston Marathon champion whose rise among the sport’s elite has been extraordinary. Renowned for her calm racing style and devastating finishing kick, Lokedi enters Riga as one of the headline attractions of the entire event.

Ethiopia’s challenge will be spearheaded by Ejgayehu Taye, the World Road Running Championships bronze medallist who previously impressed in Riga during the 2023 championships. Her ability to sustain relentless pace deep into races makes her a major threat for the title. Ethiopia will also rely on rising stars Diniya Abaraya and Bertukan Welde, two athletes widely regarded as future stars of global road running.

Uganda’s Stella Chesang further strengthens the women’s lineup with her championship pedigree and proven consistency on both the track and roads. Meanwhile, Germany’s Domenika Mayer will carry European hopes as the defending Riga Marathon champion and national record holder. Her experience on the Riga course could provide a crucial advantage against such a deep international field.

With elite champions, global medallists, and emerging talents all converging in Latvia, anticipation for the 2026 Rimi Riga Half Marathon continues to soar. Both the men’s and women’s races promise uncompromising competition where every second will matter, and where victory may only be decided in the dramatic closing stages.

As race day approaches, Riga is preparing not just for another marathon weekend, but for a landmark celebration of world-class road running that could deliver some of the fastest and most memorable performances of the season.

On Sunday, May 19th, Kenyan runner Judy Jelagat Kemboi set a new course record for the women’s half marathon at the Rimi Riga Marathon, finishing in one hour, seven minutes, and 13 seconds (1:07:13). Kemboi improved the previous record set last year by her compatriot, Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, by 12 seconds (1:07:25).

With her victory in Riga, Kemboi confirmed her status as the pre-race favorite, having the best personal record among the participants. Kemboi’s result in Riga is the 26th best in the world for 2024.

Ethiopian Dibabe Beyene Debela finished second with a time of 1:09:53, while Kenyan Agnes Keino claimed the bronze medal, finishing in 1:10:33.

In the men’s competition, Kenyan Samwel Nyamai Mailu took first place, finishing in one hour and 21 seconds (1:00:21). Mailu, who won a bronze medal at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga last year, achieved the 39th-best result in the world this year for the half marathon distance.

He was followed by fellow Kenyan Collins Kipkurui Kipkorir, who finished in 1:00:47, while another Kenyan, Titus Kimutai Kipkosgei, took third place with a time of 1:01:57.

This weekend, the Rimi Riga Marathon will host world-class running stars who have stood atop the podium at prestigious marathons in Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Doha, Vienna, Hamburg, Dubai, Seville, and other prestigious events. The biggest competition for a spot on the podium this year is expected in the half marathon, where an especially strong field of runners will compete on the same course where world champions in the half marathon were crowned last October.

An intense battle is also anticipated among Latvia’s leading runners, who will compete not only for the Latvian championship medals in the road mile and the marathon, but also for high-quality results in the 5km and 10km distances. Because of the strong lineup of participants, we anticipate that in several distances we’ll see the Rimi Riga Marathon course records, and possibly even Latvian records, broken.

The Rimi Riga Marathon, the Baltic’s most magnificent mass sports event, on May 18 and 19, will not only bring together over 30,000 running enthusiasts from nearly 100 countries worldwide but also top elite runners from Latvia and around the globe.

FOREIGN FAVORITES IN THE HALF MARATHON WILL AIM TO BREAK THE RIMI RIGA MARATHON COURSE RECORDS

The most intense competition is expected in the half marathon at the Rimi Riga Marathon, where participants will attempt to surpass the time of 59:10 set by Sebastian Sawe, the winner of the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga last October. In the men’s elite competition, several accomplished Kenyan runners will compete this year, including last year’s World Athletics Road Running Championships bronze medalist Samwel Nyamai Mailu, Solomon Kipchoge, who ran under one hour – 59:37 in 2023, and Titus Kimutai Kipkosgei who triumphed in the Milan Marathon in April this year and holds a half marathon personal best of 59:44 set back in 2022.

Among the international elite women in the half marathon, there are also several representatives from Kenya and Ethiopia. Among them, Judy Jelagat Kemboi, a Kenyan runner who set an impressive personal best in the half marathon on May 5 this year – 65:45, clinching victory in the Geneva Half Marathon. She will face competition from her compatriots – Valary Jemeli (personal best of 66:14 set in 2019), who triumphed in the Doha Marathon this February, and Gladys Jemaiyo, who set her best time of 68:18 in 2022. On the course, we’ll also have the opportunity to see Ethiopian Gebru Azmera Hagos, whose personal record in the half marathon from 2017 stands at 70:40.

To break the records of the half marathon course, which belong to the Kenyan Sebastian Sawe (59:10) and the acclaimed Kenyan runner and the reigning Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir (67:25) since the World Athletics Road Running Championships 2023 in Riga, organizers encourage Riga residents and visitors to actively support the leaders on the streets of Riga on the morning of May 19.

ON THE MARATHON COURSE, THE LATVIAN CHAMPIONS WILL BE DETERMINED

Determined to become the Latvian marathon champion this year is Dmitrijs Serjogins, the national record holder in the half marathon and the holder of the highest marathon personal best among Latvians. Also lining up at the starting line will be the podium finishers of the Latvian Marathon championship 2023 – the reigning champion Aleksandrs Raščevskis, vice-champion Renārs Roze, and bronze medalist Kristaps Vējš-Āboliņš.

In the marathon course, several strong foreign runners have also registered, including the Kenyan Rodgers Maiyo, who boasts an impressive personal record in the half marathon – 61:56 (2015), and multiple-time Georgian champion and holder of the national record Davit Kharzishvili (2:11:46, 2023), both of whom will be aiming to be the first to cross the finish line in Riga.

In the women’s competition, for the Latvian championship medals will compete last year’s medalists – Amanda Krūmiņa, who won the gold medal, Anna Kļučņika, who secured the silver, and one of the holders of the all-time highest marathon results and the 2023 bronze medalist, Anita Siliņa (PB 2:39:57, 2014).

Worth remembering is that the Rimi Riga Marathon record holder for men is the Ethiopian Andualem Belay Shiferaw, who won in 2019 with a time of 2:08:51. However, in the women’s marathon Ethiopian Birke Debele Beyene’s time remains unbeaten from 2019 – 2:26:22. Meanwhile, the fastest Latvian runner results in the Rimi Riga Marathon are the Latvian record set by Valērijs Žolnerovičs in 2017 with a time of 2:14:24, and the 2:40:23 result set by Ariana Hilborn in 2015.

Both the Riga and Bucharest marathons were cancelled at the last moment at the weekend.

The Riga organizers stated: “Due to a sudden spike of covid-19 cases in Latvia and Government regulations, the 30th Rimi Riga Marathon was not be able to take place in person on 11 October, but virtually. That means you either have to register at our Virtual Club and run the distance of your choice, or, if virtual running is too much of a hassle for you, just run a distance of your choice during marathon weekend.”

In Bucharest, the race organization announced: “At the request of the authorities, the marathon race of professional runners within Raiffeisen Bank Bucharest Marathon will no longer be held, given the current situation [the number of cases of COVID-19 in Bucharest has reached 2.28/1000 inhabitants]. This decision does not affect runners registered for the virtual races who will participate individually, under the conditions initially announced, between 11-18 October on the route and in the time slot they choose.”

“Public health experts have alerted authorities about the real risk to athletes coming to Bucharest to participate in the Marathon. We particularly regret that this decision must be taken so soon before the date announced for the event. However, we consider that it is an absolutely necessary decision.”

“We, the Bucharest Running Club team, together with the event partners, did everything possible for the physical event to take place in complete safety for professional runners. We hope that those qualities specific to the marathon runner: determination, endurance, planning – will help those who had prepared to compete to overcome this moment. It is a difficult moment, especially since the runners are right now in Bucharest, some of them from other continents”, said Valeria van Groningen, President of Bucharest Running Club.

This year, the Rimi Riga Marathon’s 30th anniversary race on October 10-11 will take place in person, while adhering to government restrictions regarding COVID-19.

The restrictions allow us to organize a real race, at the same time placing strict restrictions on all who travel to Latvia from countries with high infection rates.

We have thought about those of you who will be unable to come to Riga this year and take part in the Rimi Riga Marathon in person, but who really want to run, finish and receive a 30th anniversary medal.

In May, we already stated with certainty that the marathon will happen - adapted to the new reality or virtually - and everyone who completes it will receive a unique anniversary medal. This year’s medal designer is Junichi Kawanishi, who also designed the medals for the Tokyo Olympics.

Please follow the instructions to ensure you participation in Rimi Riga Marathon 2020!

Option #1.

Participants who are currently in Latvia and wishing to run in person: please visit your User profile on our website and select DPD Pickup Point to receive your race number and check whether your mobile phone is correct (find settings and choose edit if necessary). To reduce crowding and the risk of COVID-19, the Rimi Riga Marathon EXPO will not happen, and we will send everything necessary using the Rimi Riga Marathon’s official courier, DPD.

Option #2.

Participants arriving from abroad to run in person: please bear in mind that, if your country is on the Covid-19 red or yellow list,  you will have to self-isolate for 10 days after entering Latvia and before picking up your race number.

If you still want to take part in the 2020 Rimi Riga Marathon in person (which means that either you are from a country with low infection rates or you are willing to self-isolate for 10 days to take part in the 2020 Rimi Riga Marathon in person).

Option #3.

Participants wishing to run, but unable to come to Riga or self-isolate for 10 days: you can still take part in our VIRTUAL RACE and receive the 30 th anniversary medal by post. All the necessary information about the Virtual race you will find on our website.

If you are not registered yet, and would like to run Rimi Riga Marathon anywhere in the world and receive the official 30th anniversary medal by post, please register now, and we’ll let you know about the next steps. Our virtual platform allows runners to compete anywhere and register the results by the most popular running apps and time-keeping watches. 

Option #4.

Participants wishing to postpone their entry until May 15-16, 2021.

We do hope that one of the above options will fit you, and we are looking forward to welcoming you to Riga in October 2020 and May 2021!