Venice Marathon 2026 Results: Peter Kwemoi Wins, Jackline Jerono Edges Seven-Second Women’s Thriller

Forty years ago, a small field of runners left Villa Pisani and made their way to Venice along the Brenta Riviera. Nobody could have guessed it would eventually become one of the most oversubscribed marathons in the world. On Sunday, October 25, 2026, the 40th edition of the Wizz Air Venice Marathon marked that anniversary in the most concrete way possible: 24,000 starters, every race distance sold out, and a field so international that seven in ten marathon runners at the start in Stra had flown in from outside Italy.

It was not just a race. It was a statement of how far a regional Italian event can travel when it earns its reputation kilometre by kilometre.

Men’s Marathon 2026: Peter Kwemoi Wins Venice in a Kenyan Sweep

Peter Kwemoi Ndorobo of Kenya crossed the line at Riva dei Sette Martiri in 2:07:30 to take the men’s title at the 40th Wizz Air Venice Marathon, knocking more than a minute and a half off last year’s winning time of 2:08:58. The defending champion Deribe Robi did not feature in the top five, and Kwemoi’s win was commanding rather than contested, with three Kenyans filling the top four places overall.

Ethiopian Berhanu Tarto Yatede was the only man to break the Kenyan grip on the podium, finishing second in 2:07:46, just 16 seconds behind Kwemoi. Dikson Simba Nyakundi came home third in 2:07:55, with Kipsang Collins Kemboi a further ten seconds back in fourth. The pre-race debutant Evans Kipkorir, who came to Venice off a 60-minute flat half marathon personal best, delivered on that promise in fifth place in 2:08:40 on his first marathon start.

Women’s Marathon 2026: Jackline Jerono Edges a Seven-Second Thriller

The women’s race produced the finish of the day. Jackline Jerono of Kenya won the title in 2:26:15, with Ethiopian Alemaz Samuel Teshale crossing the line just seven seconds later in 2:26:22. Seven seconds after 42 kilometres. Pre-race, Teshale was listed as a marathon debutant. She very nearly won on her first attempt.

The pre-race favourites Fikrte Wereta and Gete Dukale, both of whom had posted faster personal bests than the top two finishers, did not feature on the podium. Jerono held her nerve when it mattered, and the gap at the line tells you the race was decided in the closing kilometres on the Venice waterfront. Worknesh Alemu Mola of Ethiopia finished third in 2:28:45, with compatriot Almaz Negede Fekade fourth in 2:31:11.

Record Entries, Record Ambition: The 40th Edition by the Numbers

The numbers that define this year’s race are hard to ignore. 24,000 registered runners across the three distances make the 2026 edition the biggest in the event’s history, and the fact that every race sold out months in advance signals something beyond simple growth. This is a race that runners plan holidays around, not the other way around.

The marathon field of 10,200 tells its own story. A 70% international entry rate in the 42K means the Brenta Riviera start line in Stra sounded more like an airport departure gate than an Italian road race on Saturday morning. 55% of the combined field travelled from outside Italy, drawn by the course, the city and, increasingly, the event’s place in the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Ranking.

The Course That Makes Venice Marathon Unforgettable

For the runners who finished today, the route itself deserves its own mention. The Venice Marathon is a rare point-to-point that actually delivers on the promise of its backdrop. It begins at Villa Pisani in Stra, one of the most striking Baroque villas on the Brenta Riviera, and spends the first 30 kilometres winding through the industrial outskirts of Marghera and Mestre before the city of Venice becomes real.

Then comes the Ponte della Libertà, the causeway bridge that separates Venice from the mainland. Running across it, with the lagoon stretching in both directions and the city skyline assembling itself ahead, is one of those marathon moments that can make you forget you are at kilometre 32. After that, a temporary floating bridge carries runners across the Grand Canal. The final kilometres wind past Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace before the finish line at Riva dei Sette Martiri in Castello.

What Running the 40th Edition Meant for the Amateur Field

Beyond the elite race, the mass-participation story of this edition is significant. The Venice Half Marathon ran its fifth edition simultaneously, starting from Piazza Ferretto in Mestre at 8:45 AM, while the VM10K kicked off the morning at 8:00 AM from Parco San Giuliano. All three distances shared the same finish line at Riva dei Sette Martiri, which meant runners across ability levels experienced the same emotional arrival into Venice.

The sell-out across every distance also signals a practical reality for anyone thinking about entering the 2027 edition: this race fills fast. The 2026 field was oversubscribed well before race day, and the 40th-anniversary pull this year likely brought in runners who had been waiting for a milestone. If you have been sitting on the idea of running Venice, the 2027 ballot will not wait.