Kenya Sweeps All Ten Open Podium Spots at Kashmir Marathon 2026

Ten Kenyans walked away with every open podium spot at the 2026 Kashmir Marathon. All five in the men’s race. All five in the women’s race. Nepal’s Anish Thapa Magar finished fifth among the men, and India’s Ashvini Jadhav held fifth in the women’s field, but between those two, it was a Kenyan clean sweep of the elite results at Srinagar’s third edition of its flagship road race.

Emmanuel Sikuku Ndiwa — the same runner who won the inaugural 2024 edition — crossed the line first in the men’s full marathon in 2:15:07. In the women’s race, Sheila Jepkosgei Chesang repeated her 2024 victory in 2:38:05, finishing eleven seconds clear of second-placed Viola Munerya Chemos. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah flagged off the race for the third straight year and, again, ran the half marathon himself.

Kashmir Marathon 2026 Full Marathon Men’s Results: Ndiwa Repeats, Cherop Pushes Him All the Way

The men’s race came down to seconds at the front. Ndiwa finished in 2:15:07 with Hammington Kimaiyo Cherop on his shoulder just six seconds back at 2:15:13. Mwangi Simon Maina completed a tight three-way battle for the podium in 2:15:22 — a gap of fifteen seconds across the top three. That is not a race where anyone switched off.

Anderson Saitoti Seroi came fourth in 2:17:35 before Nepal’s Anish Thapa Magar took fifth in 2:20:39, the one non-Kenyan in the men’s top five.

Kashmir Marathon 2026 Full Marathon Women’s Results: Chesang Wins Again, Chemos Eleven Seconds Behind

The women’s race was tighter at the front than the times suggest. Chesang and Chemos ran together for much of the course before the gap opened on the return leg. Chemos finished in 2:38:16 with Truphena Chepchirchir a few minutes back in third at 2:42:33. Ziporah Wanjiru Kingori took fourth in 2:45:51.

Then came Ashvini Jadhav in fifth at 3:03:15. The only Indian in the elite women’s field, finishing inside the top five of an international field at altitude in the Kashmir Valley. That result deserves more attention than it will get.

Sher Singh and Tamsi Singh Retain Their Domestic Titles

In the 18–35 age category — the main domestic Indian contest — Sher Singh won the men’s race in 2:23:22, a comfortable gap over second-placed Man Singh who finished in 2:25:04. In the women’s category, Tamsi Singh took the title in 3:03:25 with Bhagirathi Bisht close behind in 3:04:11.

Both domestic champions receive ₹1 lakh for their wins. The 36–49 and above-50 age categories carry prizes of ₹75,000 for first, ₹50,000 for second and ₹25,000 for third across men’s and women’s fields.

The J&K Local Category: This Year’s Most Important New Addition

This matters more than most coverage will acknowledge. A race that grows on tourist numbers alone is fragile. One that builds a local base has roots. The J&K category is a small step but it is the right direction.

Kashmir Marathon 2026: How the Race Has Grown Across Three Editions

The progression is real. The inaugural 2024 edition drew around 2,000 runners from 13 countries. The second edition in November 2025 brought 1,500 runners from 11 countries but expanded its domestic reach across 27 Indian states. This year’s registration closed at 1,807 confirmed runners from 12 countries with the Tourism Department expecting total starters to cross 2,000.

More significant than the participation numbers: the 2026 edition is the first to run as an AIMS-listed event, placing it on the same international calendar as established races across Asia, Europe and the Americas. For an elite athlete’s agent calculating the prize-per-kilometre equation, that listing matters.

The prize purse grew accordingly. At ₹3.17 crore — with ₹2.11 crore allocated to the full marathon and ₹1.06 crore to the half — this is now one of the richest road running events in South Asia. That is why the same Kenyan field that arrived in 2024 came back.

Director of Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad put the stated ambition plainly: “The Kashmir Marathon will be a brand of the Tourism Department and a regular feature every year.” CM Omar Abdullah ran the half marathon for the third year in a row. That level of political visibility, sustained across three editions, is unusual. It suggests this event is not going away.

If you are thinking about running this race yourself, our Kashmir Marathon race guide covers the course, cutoff times, registration process and everything you need to plan your race.