The Generali Málaga Marathon has set a new circuit record in the women’s category. And it was a triple celebration, as the first three women beat last year’s winning time of 2h24:43. The Kenyan Rebecca Kangogo Chesir, 33, emerged as the strongest, stepping up the pace to an overall average of 3:20, and triumphing in 2 hours, 21 minutes and 17 seconds. This win reinforces her excellent season after victories in May in Stockholm and in September in Buenos Aires.
Kangogo, aided by the superb work of the pacer Clement Kipkoech, pulled away after kilometer 35 from her compatriot Ivyne Jeruto Lagat, the runner with the best personal best entering the race, who finished in 2h22:30. The Kenyan podium was completed by Rodah Jepkorir Tanui with 2h24:32 in a women’s race where the first five finished in under two and a half hours. Eva García Moreno, 14th at the finish with 2h58:10, stood out as the best Spanish finisher.
A THRILLING FINISH IN THE MEN’S CATEGORY
In the men’s race, the also-Kenyan Simon Njuguna Waithira produced the surprise. The 27-year-old athlete, with limited marathon experience and a distinctive arm swing, shifted the pace and left behind his compatriot Victor Kiplimo in the final kilometer, as they approached the exit from Calle Larios. Only Simon Njuguna Waithira could match the pace and he ultimately won with 2 hours, 8 minutes and 17 seconds, the fourth-best mark in the history of the Generali Málaga Marathon, maintaining a very steady 3:03 per kilometer throughout the morning.
Victor Kiplimo secured second place despite losing half a minute in the final straight (2h08:05), and Ethiopian Gaddisa Tafa Dekeba prevented a total Kenyan dominance with the third place (2h08:25). Four men went under 2:10, and the 14th place of Alejandro Jiménez ‘El Balilla’ with 2h18:13 earned him the title of the most prominent Spanish runner.
🥇 Simon Njuguna wins the Málaga Marathon 2026 The Kenyan has overtaken his compatriot Victor Kiplimo with an attack as he enters Paseo del Parque with a provisional time of 2:08:17 🔴 DIRECTO: https://t.co/JA0266PqNZ https://t.co/PecpVFgJ9C
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) November 8, 2026
JORGE BLANCO AND LIDIA CAMPO WIN THE HALF MARATHON
Under a cloudy morning, with a pleasant 19º C in Málaga and 17,000 runners on the streets split roughly evenly between the two distances and 66% foreign participation, the half marathon was also contested. In the men’s race, starting from the marathon lead, the from León Jorge Blanco left Dani Mateo behind before the 10th kilometer and went solo to victory in 1h03:34, while Mateo finished in 1h04:11. Irishman John Travers completed the podium in 1h05:40.
In the women’s race, Burgos-born Lidia Campo dominated clearly, finishing in 1h14:21 ahead of Frenchwoman Claudine Santrain (1h17:05) and British runner Emma Styles (1h17:58).
The next edition of the Generali Málaga Marathon, which will once again take place on the early November date introduced this year, will also host for the first time the Spanish Marathon Championship in both the absolute and masters categories.
