Eliud Kipchoge won the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 10 seconds, a course record. The 41-year-old Kenyan broke the previous mark by two seconds and claimed his first marathon victory since Berlin in 2023.
By the 254.ke Newsroom
How did Kipchoge win the Melbourne Marathon 2026?
Kipchoge led a three-man group through halfway in 64:18, according to Athletics Weekly. He made his winning move shortly before the 27-kilometre mark and ran the final 15 kilometres alone.
The race finished inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground, after a route that runs partly around the Albert Park Formula One circuit. Organisers redesigned the course this year to be flatter with fewer turns.
Australia’s Thomas Do Canto was second in 2:10:35, 1 minute 25 seconds behind. Reece Edwards, also of Australia, took third in 2:14:33, WatchAthletics reported.
Melbourne Marathon 2026: key results
| Place | Men | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:09:10 (course record) |
| 2 | Thomas Do Canto (Australia) | 2:10:35 |
| 3 | Reece Edwards (Australia) | 2:14:33 |
In the women’s race, New Zealand’s Camille French won in 2:28:25, ahead of Australia’s Sinead Diver (2:28:49) and Ireland’s Nichola Sheridan (2:29:13). Diver’s women’s course record of 2:25:19, set in 2018, still stands.
What was the old Melbourne Marathon course record?
The previous record was 2:09:12, set by Kenya’s Timothy Kiplagat Ronoh in 2022, Athletics Weekly reported. Kipchoge took two seconds off it. It is a fellow Kenyan’s mark that fell, which keeps the record in Kenyan hands.
Why does this win matter for Kipchoge?
It is his 17th career marathon win and ends a gap that began after Berlin 2023. His official marathon best remains 2:01:09, set in Berlin in 2022. He broke the world record in Berlin in 2018 with 2:01:39, and ran 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019, a time not ratified as a record because of pacing assistance.
Melbourne was the third stop on his “Eliud’s Running World” project, which aims to bring marathons to all seven continents, including Antarctica, over two years. Proceeds go to the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation. Earlier stops were Cape Town in May, where he finished 16th in 2:13:29, and Porto Alegre in July, where he was 12th in 2:18:42.
Speaking after the race, Kipchoge said his body is “still peaking” and that he can still compete with the next generation, according to Athletics Weekly.
Key facts at a glance
- Winning time: 2:09:10, a Melbourne course record
- Age: 41
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026
- Finish: Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Career marathon wins: 17
FAQ
What time did Kipchoge run in Melbourne?
He ran 2:09:10, a new course record that beat the old mark of 2:09:12 by two seconds.
How old is Eliud Kipchoge?
He is 41, according to Athletics Weekly.
Is 2:09:10 a world record?
No. The marathon world record is faster, and Kipchoge’s own official best is 2:01:09 from Berlin 2022. The Melbourne time is a course record only.
What is Kipchoge’s next marathon?
No next race was confirmed in the reports reviewed. Melbourne was the third stop of his seven-continent “Eliud’s Running World” tour.
More Kenyan road-racing coverage: Chicago Marathon 2026: which Kenyans ran, and Nairobi’s 2029 World Athletics Championships bid. Full report: Athletics Weekly.
Reported Oct. 12, 2026.
