At 35 kilometres, Shadrack Kipkurui Kenduiywo had this race won. He was over a minute clear of a seven-man chase pack, running through the streets of Istanbul on course record pace. Then he was gone. The man who crossed the finish line in Sultanahmet Square had been sitting quietly in fourth, biding his time. Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba ran the final 7K of the 48th Istanbul Marathon better than anyone in the field and crossed in 2:08:44.9, a new course record by 59 seconds.
- Race: Türkiye İş Bankası 48th Istanbul Marathon
- Date: Sunday, 1 November 2026
- Venue: Istanbul, Turkey — Asian side to Sultanahmet Square, Europe
- Distance: 42.195 km
- Label: World Athletics Gold Label Road Race
- Men’s winner: Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba (KEN) — 2:08:44.9 🏆 Course Record
- Women’s winner: Kasanesh Ayenew Baze (ETH) — 2:24:40.6
- Previous men’s CR: 2:09:44 — Daniel Kibet (KEN), 2019
Istanbul Marathon 2026 Men’s Results: Kipchumba Breaks Seven-Year Course Record
Kipchumba’s win was a study in patience. He ran conservatively through the first half, stayed within the lead pack across the Bosphorus bridge and let Kenduiywo burn his legs on the front. When the leader faded badly in the closing kilometres, Kipchumba had exactly the legs he needed. His 2:08:44.9 betters Daniel Kibet’s 2:09:44 mark that had stood since 2019. The top four men finished within 15 seconds of each other, which tells the full story of how competitive the race was from 35K to the line.
| Pos | Name | Nationality | Gun Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba 🏆 | KEN | 2:08:44.9 CR |
| 2 | Sufaro Woliyi Kebeto | ETH | 2:08:54.7 |
| 3 | Vincent Kipyegon Ronoh | KEN | 2:08:57.7 |
| 4 | Gemechu Yadesa Irena | ETH | 2:08:59.6 |
| 5 | Amdework Walelegn Tadese | ETH | 2:09:30.8 |
| 6 | Samuel Lomoi | KEN | 2:09:48.2 |
| 7 | Mengistu Bekele Tedecha | ETH | 2:09:53.0 |
Istanbul Marathon 2026 Women’s Results: Ethiopian Clean Sweep
Six Ethiopian women ran together through 30K, separated by under a second at the checkpoint. The racing that followed was predictably ruthless. Kasanesh Ayenew Baze, who had been running third in the pack, found her best in the final stretch and came away with the win in 2:24:40.6. Azmera Abreha Gdey and Diribe Hirko Alemu completed an all-Ethiopian podium. Meaza Asefa Kasegn, who led through 30K, was not among the top three finishers — the pack made sure no one had an easy afternoon.
| Pos | Name | Nationality | Gun Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kasanesh Ayenew Baze 🏆 | ETH | 2:24:40.6 |
| 2 | Azmera Abreha Gdey | ETH | 2:24:47.2 |
| 3 | Diribe Hirko Alemu | ETH | 2:25:00.6 |
The Race That Got Away: Kenduiywo’s 35K Lead
Shadrack Kipkurui Kenduiywo was leading the men’s race by over 70 seconds at the 35K checkpoint, running splits that had the course record well within reach. He did not finish in the top seven. What happened in those final kilometres was not captured in the live feed but the results tell the story plainly — going out hard and alone on a 42K course has consequences, even for elite athletes. Kipchumba had been fourth at 35K and simply ran the smarter race.
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Verdict
A course record that had survived seven years fell on a November morning in Istanbul, and it fell convincingly. Kipchumba did not just win — he ran the kind of patient, composed marathon that separates good runners from smart ones. The women’s race was a different story: six Ethiopians together at 30K, a controlled demolition of the pack in the final stretch, and a clean sweep of the podium. Istanbul 2026 delivered on both fronts.
All times are gun times. Results sourced from the official race timing portal at results.splittime.nl.