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The Schneider Electric Paris Marathon became a stage for brilliance as Yemane Crippa and Shure Demise produced two unforgettable performances to claim stunning victories in the French capital. On a day filled with speed, drama and record-breaking excellence, Italy and Ethiopia rose to the top through displays of courage, precision and world-class endurance.

In the men’s race, Crippa delivered the finest marathon run of his career, storming to victory in a personal best of 2:05:18. The Italian star handled the relentless early pace with calm authority, staying composed among a powerful lead group before unleashing his decisive move when the race entered its closing stages. With strength and perfect timing, he surged clear to secure the biggest triumph of his career.

The battle behind him was every bit as fierce. Ethiopia’s Bayelign Teshager crossed the line just five seconds later in 2:05:23, also a personal best, while Kenya’s Sila Kiptoo completed the podium in 2:05:29, only eleven seconds behind the winner in one of the tightest finishes of the season.

If the men’s contest was thrilling, the women’s race was historic. Shure Demise produced a breathtaking performance to dominate the field and rewrite the course record with a sensational 2:18:34. Running with poise and authority from start to finish, the Ethiopian star broke clear when it mattered most and transformed the final kilometres into a celebration of pure class.

Her victory carried even greater weight as it also marked a huge personal best, confirming her arrival at a new level in the marathon ranks. Behind her, compatriot Misgane Alemayehu completed an Ethiopian one-two finish in 2:19:08, while Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai claimed third in 2:19:17 after a determined run.

Paris has witnessed many memorable races, but few days have matched the quality of this one. Crippa’s career-defining breakthrough and Demise’s record-shattering masterpiece turned the streets of the city into a theatre of greatness.

When the dust settled, two champions stood above all others one crowned by perfection, the other by history. Together, they made Paris belong to greatness.

The 2025 Schneider Electric Paris Marathon, held on Sunday, April 13, showcased remarkable performances from East African athletes, with Kenya’s Benard Biwott and Ethiopia’s Bedatu Hirpa clinching the men’s and women’s titles, respectively.

Men’s Elite Race

Benard Biwott, 22, delivered an impressive performance, breaking away from a lead group of nine runners with approximately 10 kilometers remaining. He crossed the finish line in 2:05:25, improving upon his marathon debut time from Frankfurt last October by 29 seconds. Djibouti’s Ibrahim Hassan secured second place in 2:06:13, followed closely by Kenya’s Sila Kiptoo, who finished third in 2:06:21. 

Top 10 Men’s Results:

1. Benard Biwott (KEN) – 2:05:25 

2. Ibrahim Hassan (DJI) – 2:06:13

3. Sila Kiptoo (KEN) – 2:06:21 

4. Enock Kinyamal (KEN) – 2:06:32 

5. Dominic Ngeno (KEN) – 2:06:37 

6. Dinkalem Ayele (ETH) – 2:07:54 

7. Tsedat Ayana (ETH) – 2:08:19 

8. Edwin Kibichy (KEN) – 2:08:29 

9. Timothy Kibet (KEN) – 2:08:38 

10. Haile Zeru (ETH) – 2:09:02 

Women’s Elite Race

In a thrilling finish reminiscent of their encounter at the Dubai Marathon earlier this year, Ethiopia’s Bedatu Hirpa edged out compatriot Dera Dida to win the women’s race. Hirpa completed the course in 2:20:45, just four seconds ahead of Dida. Kenya’s Angela Tanui secured third place with a time of 2:21:07. 

Top 10 Women’s Results:

1. Bedatu Hirpa (ETH) – 2:20:45 

2. Dera Dida (ETH) – 2:20:49 

3. Angela Tanui (KEN) – 2:21:07 

4. Magdalena Shauri (TAN) – 2:21:31 

5. Kasanesh Baze (ETH) – 2:24:35 

6. Janet Ruguru (KEN) – 2:24:36 

7. Kidsan Alema (ETH) – 2:25:22 

8. Judit Jeptum (KEN) – 2:25:30 

9. Agnes Keino (KEN) – 2:26:09 

10. Zerihun Alemtsehay (ETH) – 2:27:39 

Notable Masters Performances – Men

• Yohan Durand (FRA): At 40 years old, Durand finished 17th overall with a time of 2:14:44, showcasing his enduring competitiveness.  

• David Gosse (FRA): Also 40, Gosse secured 18th place, clocking in at 2:19:35, demonstrating the depth of talent among masters athletes.  

Notable Masters Performances – Women

• Jane Fardell (AUS): At 42, Fardell achieved a time of 2:53:16, placing 17th among women and highlighting her sustained excellence.  

• Charline Heu (FRA): Aged 41, Heu completed the marathon in 2:53:39, securing 18th place and underscoring the competitive spirit of masters runners.  

The 2025 Paris Marathon highlighted the dominance of East African runners, with both the men’s and women’s podiums featuring athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia. The event continues to be a significant fixture in the international marathon calendar, attracting top talent from around the world.

Mestawut Fikir excelled on her debut at the distance by winning the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon in 2:20:45, while compatriot Mulugeta Uma made it an Ethiopian double by taking the men’s title in 2:05:33 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday (7).

In a close finish, Fikir won by three seconds from fellow Ethiopian Enatnesh Tirusew, who was also making her marathon debut. Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot, the 2016 Olympic 5000m champion and four-time world champion on the track, was third in 2:21:46 in what was the 40-year-old’s first marathon in five years.

Uma won the men’s race by 15 seconds from Kenya’s Titus Kipruto. Elisha Rotich, the course record-holder and 2021 winner, was third this time in 2:06:54.

A pack of about 10 women ran together during the early stages, with Ethiopia’s Rahma Tusa leading them through 10km in 33:23. That pack had reduced to six women by the time they reached half way in 1:10:11, with Tusa still leading from Tirusew and Fikir while Cheruiyot bided her time at the back of the pack.

By 30km, Cheruiyot had fallen about 20 seconds behind the leaders with Tusa still pushing the pace out in front. But the long-time leader started to fade a few kilometers later as Fikir and Tirusew made a break.

The Ethiopian duo continued to run side by side through the closing kilometers while Cheruiyot rallied back and made her way up into third place. In the final push, Fikir broke away from her compatriot to win in 2;20:45, while Tirusew claimed second place in 2:20:48. Cheruiyot crossed the line 58 seconds later.

The men’s race played out in similar fashion, the large lead pack going through 10km in 29:08 and half way in 1:02:09, at which point they were on track to challenge Rotich’s course record of 2:04:21.

The pack became strung out over the course of the next 10 kilometers with Kipruto leading them through 30km in 1:28:27, closing followed by Uma and his fellow Ethiopians Deso Gelmisa and Dejane Megersa.

Kipruto continued to lead through 35km, at which point he had just three others for company: Gelmisa, Uma and Kenya’s Bethwell Kipkemboi. Uma then started to pick up the pace and overtook Kipruto with just a few kilometers to go. Further back, Rotich was making his way through the field.

Uma continued to extend his lead over Kipruto in the closing stages and he went on to win in a PB of 2:05:33, finishing 15 seconds ahead of Kipruto. Rotich passed a fading Kipkemboi to take third in 2:06:54.

Eighteen months since the last edition of the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon, the World Athletics Elite Label race returns to the French capital on Sunday (17).

The 2020 race was initially postponed before being cancelled, then the 2021 edition was moved to October instead of its usual April slot on the calendar. Having received the green light to go ahead, this year’s race will have a mass field of about 35,000 runners, including a high-quality elite line-up.

The men’s field features five runners with sub-2:06 PBs. Kenya’s Nicholas Kirwa is the fastest in the men’s field, courtesy of his 2:05:01 PB set in Milan in May. Compatriot Joel Kemboi Kimurer, who is also racing in Paris this weekend, finished 18 seconds adrift of Kirwa in Milan, recording a 2:05:19 personal best.

Elisha Rotich’s career best is one second faster than Kemboi Kimurer’s. The 31 year-old Kenyan, who clocked that time when finishing third in Amsterdam two years ago, also competed in Milan this year, finishing 10th in 2:06:44.

Stephen Chebogut also has strong credentials. The Kenyan won the 2015 Eindhoven Marathon in a PB of 2:05:52 and then finished second in Paris in 2017 in 2:06:57. The 36-year-old’s only race this year was a 2:22:08 run in the altitude of Eldoret, but his most recent race at sea level was the 2019 Shanghai Marathon, where he ran 2:10:35.

Abdi Fufa carries strong recent form into this weekend’s race. The Ethiopian set a PB of 2:05:57 when finishing second in a quality field in Ampugnano in April.

Ashenafi Moges and Moris Munene Gachaga are also ones to watch. Moges set his PB of 2:06:12 two years ago, while the latter recorded his best of 2:06:24 in 2020.

Hassan Chahdi’s record of 2:09:11 makes him the fastest Frenchman in the field. Following his 45th place finish in the marathon at the Olympic Games, he clocked 31:12 for 10km three weeks ago, which makes his current shape difficult to gauge. That’s not the case for Florian Carvahlo, however, who ran 1:01:05 at the Paris Half Marathon last month. He’s now hopeful of improving on his 2:10:22 PB set in Valencia two years ago.

Jeptoo returns to Paris

The women’s race also looks set to be a tough contest.

Ten years after her victory on the streets of the French capital, Priscah Jeptoo returns to the Paris Marathon. The Kenyan went on to take the silver medal at the World Championships later in 2011 and then earned a medal of the same colour at the 2012 Olympic Games. She also won the London and New York marathons in 2013, but hasn’t made it on to a marathon podium since then.

Her 2:20:14 PB, set back in 2012, makes 37-year-old Jeptoo the fastest woman in the field, but her 2:24:16 clocking from the 2019 Valencia Marathon probably gives a more accurate indication of her current form.

While Jeptoo is the biggest name in the women’s field, Ethiopian duo Waganesh Mekasha and Sifan Melaku could start as the slight favourites, based on recent form.

Mekasha, a former track specialist, has a marathon best of 2:22:45 set in Dubai in 2019. She went on to achieve second-place finishes in Dongying and Shanghai later that year, but hasn’t raced since. Melaku, meanwhile, last raced in February 2020 when she finished third in Seville in a PB of 2:23:49.

Tigist Memuye also shouldn’t be discounted. The 31-year-old Ethiopian clocked a PB of 2:24:23 in Geneva just five months ago; a repeat, or even an improvement, of that performance should put her in contention for a podium finish.

This year's Paris marathon has been cancelled, organizers said on Wednesday, as France battles against a resurgence of the COVID-19 virus.

The marathon was originally due to take place on April 5 but had been postponed to Nov. 15 because of the pandemic.

"After having tried everything to maintain the event, we, alongside the City of Paris, feel obliged to cancel the 2020 edition of the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris and the Paris Breakfast Run," organizers said in a statement.

"Faced with the difficulty that many runners, especially those coming from abroad, had in making themselves available... it was decided that it would be better... for those concerned if we organized the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris in 2021.

"We will be working side-by-side with the City of Paris to put on a 2021 edition that brings together the most passionate runners on the most beautiful streets in the world."

The Paris marathon, one of the most popular events on the global running calendar which routinely attracts over 40,000 participants, is the latest to be disrupted by the worldwide novel coronavirus outbreak.

In June, the New York City Marathon was cancelled while the Boston Marathon was also scrapped for the first time in its 124-year history.

Marathon majors in Berlin and Chicago were also cancelled while the London Marathon, originally set for April, was postponed to Oct. 4 and will be run as an elite-only event.

France has reported over 236,000 infections and more than 30,000 deaths from COVID-19. 

New initiatives include the Schneider Electric Green Runners community. Just a few days before Climate Day held in France on Sunday 8 December, several marathon stakeholders came together in Paris to raise awareness about initiatives that can help to protect the environment. The event organising team notes that running plays a key role in these efforts…

More and more runners are going out plogging together. It is all about running and, even more importantly, picking up litter along the way. The 2020 Schneider Electric Paris Marathon organised its first plogging event, overseen by Run Eco Team, an organisation that has the support of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. It was a fun moment in the streets of Paris that demonstrated the organisation’s motto “Running for a cleaner world”.

Nutrition, a key element in the preparation of runners, fits in perfectly with this lifestyle if it is based on responsible consumption, local, seasonal products and a zero-waste approach. The same applies to the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) concept, which means making one’s own washing powder, maintenance products and cosmetics.

Recycling and making the right choice on mobility by choosing more fuel-efficient means of transport (public transportation, bicycles, carpooling, etc.) whenever possible are other ways of doing one’s bit for the planet every day.

The Schneider Electric Paris Marathon team adds that the even is replicating these individual actions on a larger scale. Achieving carbon neutrality, reducing waste at the event (-30% over 3 years), recycling waste (67% vs 39% earlier), collecting and recycling clothes at the start (4.3 tonnes in 2019) and donating food that has not been handed out at refreshment stations to the Restos du Cœur and Chainon Manquant non-profit associations are just a few examples.

The 2020 Schneider Electric Paris Marathon wants to raise awareness about lifestyle changes among runners. The marathon organisers are encouraging people to join The Schneider Electric Green Runners community and take up weekly challenges to reduce carbon footprint. Each time #SEgreenrunners is used on social media, Schneider Electric, with the help of NGO partners, will plant mangrove trees.

The 26-year-old Kenyan set his lifetime best of 2:06:10 when winning in the French capital two years ago. He came close to that mark last year when he retained his title in 2:06:25, the second-fastest time of his career.

He hasn’t raced since then, however, and he picked up a slight injury last week when he slipped and fell in training, but he insisted that it shouldn’t affect his ability to compete on Sunday.

Lonyangata faces a tough challenge, though, as he will line up against fellow Kenyans Augustine Choge, Hillary Kipsambu, Ishmael Bushendich and Barselius Kipyego, plus a duo of Ethiopian men with sub-2:05 PRs: Asefa Mengistu and Yemane Tsegay.

Choge, one of the most versatile distance runners in the world over the past decade, has won global medals indoors, outdoors and at cross country. The 32-year-old has moved to the roads in recent years and clocked 59:26 for the half marathon in 2017. His marathon debut in Chicago last year ended with a DNF but he is aiming for a better result in Paris.

With a best of 2:04:06, Mengistu is the fastest man in the field. A past winner in Seoul, Cape Town and Bloemfontein, he set his PR when placing fourth in Dubai in 2018. He finished third in Dubai this year and came close to his best with 2:04:24.

Tsegay’s PR of 2:04:48 dates back to 2012, but the 34-year-old is still highly competitive and won in Ottawa last year. More recently he finished runner-up in Fukuoka four months ago.

Nicolas Navarro, the second-fastest marathon runner in France last year, leads the domestic charge and will aim to improve on his PR of 2:12:39.

Almost all of the leading contenders in the women’s race set their PRs in 2018, so will be heading to the French capital in good form.

Gelete Burka – who, like Choge, has won global medals across a range of distances – is the most decorated athlete in the field. Winner of the 2006 world cross-country short course title and 2008 world indoor 1500m title, the 33-year-old Ethiopian finally conquered the marathon distance in 2018, clocking a PR of 2:20:45 in Dubai and then going on to win in Ottawa in 2:22:17, the first marathon victory of her career.

Kenyan athletes have won the past three women’s races at the Paris Marathon and 2014 world half marathon bronze medallist Sally Chepyego leads their charge this year. The experienced 33-year-old set her marathon PR of 2:23:15 when finishing second in Ljubljana last year.

Paul Lonyangata and Betsy Saina ran to victories at the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race whose 42nd edition took place today April 8. Lonyangata clocked 2:06:25 to become the first man to win back-to-back titles since Briton Steve Brace in 1989 and 1990. Saina clocked 2:22:55 to take the win in the first marathon she's completed. In the men’s race, a large group detached itself from the gun with 20 athletes, including all the favourites, reaching five kilometres in 14:54. They maintained a steady tempo, hitting the 10km marker in 29:51, suggesting a possible finish time of 2:06:00. Midway through the 40th kilometer, Lonyangata decided to put in a surge, leaving Kisorio behind for good. Lonyangata then took advantage of having the lead women in sight –-the women’s race had begun 16 minutes and 26 seconds before the men’s-- to continue his quest for a successful title defence. He eventually caught the leaders before crossing the line in 2:06:25, 15 seconds outside his personal best set last year in Paris. “It’s a wonderful day for me. I love Paris so much,” said a delighted Lonyangata, who led a Kenyan sweep. Kisorio held on to finish second in 2:06:36 with Ngeno third in 2:06:41.