The 2026 Zurich Seville Marathon is decided in a photo finish with the world’s best time of the year and victories for Ethiopia’s Tola Shura Kitata and Finland’s Alisa Vainio

He crosses the finish line tape ahead of his compatriot Abderehman Asrar Hiyrden with the same time of 2h03:59, just 32 seconds off the course record in Seville, while in the women’s field Alisa Vainio takes the win, breaking the Finnish national record with 2h20.39

Among the Spaniards, top positions for Ilias Fifa, 13th in 2h08.36, and Andalusian athlete Fátima Ouhaddou, fifth woman in 2h24:16

The Zurich Seville Marathon once again lived up to expectations, honoring its status as the flattest course in Europe, with only 38 turns and 10 meters of elevation gain, delivering a great show and achieving the world-leading time of the year over the 42.195 kilometers. And with double drama among the 200 elite runners on the start line, as the victory in the 41st edition was decided in a sprint and photo finish between Ethiopians Tola Shura Kitata and Abderehman Asrar Hiyrden, who crossed the line in 2h03:59, their final positions having to be determined by the judges after both fell onto the finish mat from the effort.

Chasing the Seville course record until the final meters, and finishing just 32 seconds off the time set in 2024 by their compatriot Deresa Geleta (2h03:27), their shared time stands not only as the world-leading mark of the year so far, but also as the third-fastest result in the history of the Zurich Seville Marathon.

The final victory for Tola Shura Kitata, showing visible signs of the fall on his face and shoulders, adds to the résumé of the 2020 London Marathon champion, as well as the winner in Rome and Frankfurt, achieving in the Andalusian capital his personal best — just like runner-up Abderehman Asrar Hiyrden, who won in Seville in 2022 with 2:04:43 (course record at the time). Likewise, fellow Ethiopian Bikila Dejene Hailu, who dropped from the lead pack in the final kilometers — a group of 18 at 10K and 5 runners through 35K — completed the men’s overall podium with 2:04.15.

With a total of 23 runners breaking the 2h10 barrier, the top Spanish finisher was Ilias Fifa, 13th with 2h08.36, earning the qualifying standard for the European Championships in Birmingham in August. Behind him, 22nd in 2h09:55 was Chakib Lachgar, while debutant Alex García Carrillo, world trail medalist, was the third Spanish athlete in 2h12.10.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Robi Syianturi set a new national record with a time of 2h13:18, placing 40th. Among the Seville runners, the top finisher was Rubén Álvarez, 77th in 2h22:37.

WOMEN’S FIELD

In the women’s race, with 14 runners under 2h28, the win went to Finland’s Alisa Vainio, who negative-splitted in the final kilometers to surpass the African contingent, well off Seville’s course record (2h18:53) from kilometer 15 onward, claiming victory in 2h20.39 — a new national record, improving her own 2h20.48.

The Nordic athlete, fifth at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships, becomes the first European woman to win in Seville since Spain’s Paula González Berodia in 2017.

Behind her, the women’s podium was completed by Kenya’s Beatrice Jepchichir (2h21.56) and Ethiopian debutant Mulat Tekle (2h22.03), who led the race through kilometer 35 before fading.

Italy’s Elisa Palmero, debuting with an impressive 2:24.10, finished fourth, just ahead of the top Spanish runner, Andalusian athlete Fátima Ouhaddou. The reigning European champion, who ran with the lead contenders for 15 kilometers, came close to her personal best with 2h24.16, securing the qualifying standard for next summer’s European Championships.

The podium among the Spanish women also featured popular runner Estefanía Unzu ‘Verdeliss’ (2h45:39) and Seville native Alejandra Flores (2h46:29), a new record for women born in the province, in what was her second marathon.

In the wheelchair division, the overall victory went to multiple-time Seville champion Rafael Botello (1h56:04), joined on the men’s podium by Joaquín García (1h57:47) and Jordi Madera (2h17:18), while in the women’s field the win went to Carmen Giménez (2h17:18), repeating her success from 2024.

HISTORIC CAP OF 17,000 BIBS

The Zurich Seville Marathon once again surpassed its all-time records this year. Participation grew to 17,000 runners, 200 elite and 8,954 international athletes from more than 100 nationalities, making up 53.07% of the total — a new milestone, as were the figures for female participation (21.42%) and the increase in runners from Seville and Andalusia, 2,596 and 3,689 respectively. Additionally, by country, and for the first time, more than 3,000 French runners took part, while after the province of Seville, Madrid was the second region with the most participants (1,336).