Runners to Watch at the Inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon

Cape Town is gearing up for a historic day of running as the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon takes to the streets of the Mother City on Sunday 18 October 2026. Bringing together elite athletes, seasoned runners, and first-time participants, the event promises a celebration of sport, unity, and Nelson Mandela’s enduring legacy.

…the race will see some of South Africa’s leading distance runners go head-to-head with international competitors on a fast and scenic course.

With Table Mountain as its backdrop, the race will see some of South Africa’s leading distance runners go head-to-head with international competitors on a fast and scenic course. Under the banner of Rise. Remember. Run. , the event features the inaugural flagship Nelson Mandela Marathon alongside the Slave Route Challenge 21km, 10km and 5km races, allowing runners of all abilities to be part of this landmark occasion.

Among the biggest names toeing the start line in this first edition are Fortunate Chidzivo, Bize Beyira Negasa, Mahloko Malineo, Carla Molinaro, Tete Dijana, Piet Wiersma, and the in-form athletes Simon Sibeko, Thabang Mathebula, and Anthony Timoteus. These elite athletes are competing for a share of the R2-million prize money, with the first man and woman in the marathon each taking home R225 000.00

The course is designed to showcase the beauty of the Mother City, with spectacular views of Table Mountain along the way. For the elite athletes, the scenery may be less important than the predominantly flat nature of the route. Over the 42 kilometres, it rises 250 metres, with the majority of the climbing coming in a tough first 8 kilometres through District Six, the Company’s Garden, and the Bo-Kaap.

After descending towards Sea Point, the Marathon course flattens out for 10 fast kilometres before climbing slightly out of Green Point back into the city centre. Hugging the coast to Milnerton’s Woodbridge Island and then turning back to the heart of Cape Town, hardly a metre is gained until the final push through the Foreshore to the Darling Street finish line. The final 500 metres rise gently, which could produce a thrilling sprint finish.

Tete Dijana, the three-time Comrades Marathon champion, headlines a highly competitive elite men’s field. Though best known for his ultra-running performances, the 38-year-old has run a 2:13:24 marathon and has shown his speed over the 10-kilometre distance in 2026. The Netherlands’ Piet Wiersma brings international flair to the race, as well as more ultra-running pedigree. A three-time Comrades Marathon runner-up, Wiersma claimed the title in 2024 and has a marathon best of 2:18:02 set in February this year.

Wiersma will likely have to shave 6 minutes off that, however, if he is to compete with 2026’s fastest men on the start list, Simon Sibeko, Thabang Mathebula, and Anthony Timoteus. Sibeko ran a 2:13:12 in May, a time that is 1 minute and 7 seconds off his personal best, which he set in 2023. Mathebula posted a personal best of 2:13:56, also in May 2026, and comes into the Nelson Mandela Marathon in fine form. Timoteus is the fastest of the trio this year, having run 8 seconds faster than Sibeko and 52 seconds quicker than Mathebula.

Sboniso Sikhakhane (2:11:49 set in 2021), Khoarahlane Seutloali (2:11:04 set in 2019), and Tsepo Ramashamole (2:12:02 set in 2021) have run faster than Sibeko and Timoteus, though not in the last five years. With so many men capable of running similar times, the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon is sure to be fiercely contested.

Bize Beyira Negasa, Mahloko Malineo, Carla Molinaro, and Fortunate Chidzivo are the women to watch in the elite women’s race. Negasa has a personal best of 2:40:50 in the marathon as well as a season’s best of 1:13:42 in the half marathon, showcasing her form ahead of Sunday’s showdown. Malineo’s best, of 2:40:30, was run in 2024.

Molinaro, who hails from Great Britain, clocked 2:38:35 before, in a highly competitive field at the Valencia Marathon in 2024. Chidzivo is arguably the favourite for the title, having run 2:33:30 last year and 2:41:09 in May this year. Given the entirely new course, winning times are difficult to predict, though personal bests by the inaugural champions would augur well for fast times in future editions of the Nelson Mandela Marathon.

Nedbank athlete Bize Beyira Negasa Alongside the flagship marathon, the Slave Route Challenge features 21km, 10km and 5km distances, each offering a unique experience through Cape Town’s historic streets. The 21km and 10km races boast strong fields of South African and African talent, with both routes taking runners up the Bo-Kaap’s infamous Koesister Hill. The challenging climb may make fast times harder to achieve but promises competitive and captivating racing. The 5km route offers a flatter, faster course, with a downhill stretch through the Company’s Garden setting the stage for an exciting finish.

The action gets underway with the elite marathon start at 05:30 on Sunday, 18 October. Cool temperatures are predicted for race day, along with a gentle to moderate south-easterly breeze. For the early-starting and fast-finishing elites, this should not affect the racing, but for the steadier-paced amateur athletes, the cool conditions and cooling wind could make the final kilometres a little more comfortable than they otherwise would be.

Running enthusiasts and supporters who cannot make it to the streets of Cape Town can catch the action live on SABC 3 from 05h00 to 11h00 on Sunday 18 October, bringing the excitement of the inaugural event to audiences across South Africa.

For more information, visit the race’s official website .

The post Runners to Watch at the Inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon appeared first on Runner's World .