Madrid Half Marathon 2026 Results: Kibet Defends Title as Kenya Sweeps Podiums on Record 25th Anniversary

The 25th edition of the Movistar Madrid Medio Maratón delivered a historic day of running on Sunday, 22 March 2026, as a record 31,000 runners took to the streets of the Spanish capital. Kenya’s dominance was total: Levy Kibet Chematot defended his men’s title with a commanding 1:00:50, while Lidwina Chepngetich took the women’s crown in 1:08:31. Kenyan athletes occupied the top two positions in both races at the World Athletics Label Road Race, leaving no doubt about who owns the streets of Madrid.

With 28,000 runners in the half marathon and a further 3,000 in the ProFuturo 5K charity race, the 25th anniversary edition smashed previous participation records and generated an estimated economic impact of nearly €30 million for the city.

Men’s Race: Kibet Makes It Back-to-Back

Levy Kibet Chematot is fast becoming the face of the Madrid Half Marathon. After winning the 2025 edition in 1:00:46, the Kenyan returned to defend his title and delivered with a dominant front-running performance. Kibet controlled the race from the early kilometres and crossed the finish line on Paseo de Recoletos in 1:00:50 — just four seconds slower than his 2025 winning time and well within striking distance of the course record of 59:38 set by Ronald Kiprotich in 2021.

Compatriot Shadrack Kipkurui Kenduiywo took second place in 1:01:49, securing a Kenyan 1-2 for the second consecutive year. Ethiopia’s Berihun Moges Kebede completed the podium in 1:02:09, the only non-Kenyan in the top six. Behind the podium, Kenya’s Raymond Cheruiyot (1:02:36), Elisha Kiprop Chemiron (1:02:53), and Christopher Kitetu Muthini (1:02:56) filled positions four through six — an extraordinary display of Kenyan depth.

The first non-African finisher was Ecuador’s Segundo Jami Jami in seventh place (1:03:43), while Spain’s Juan Pérez Moreno was the top local runner in eighth (1:04:25).

Men’s Half Marathon — Top 10

Women’s Race: Chepngetich Commands the Field

Lidwina Chepngetich delivered a polished performance to claim the women’s title in 1:08:31, controlling the race from the front and never looking under serious threat. Her time was a strong showing on a course that features some technical urban sections and 129 metres of cumulative elevation gain — enough to take the edge off truly fast times.

Fellow Kenyan Jedidah Chepkemoi Sang pushed Chepngetich all the way, finishing just 29 seconds behind in 1:09:00 — a margin that suggests the race was closely contested through the final kilometres. Caroline Jebet Korir, also of Kenya, completed an all-Kenyan podium sweep in 1:10:29.

Spain’s Fatima Azzahraa was the first local female finisher in fourth place with 1:13:53, over five minutes behind the podium but a strong result on home soil. Bulgaria’s Devora Avramova (1:14:21) rounded out the top five.

Women’s Half Marathon — Top 10

The Course: A Sprint Through Madrid’s Greatest Hits

The Movistar Madrid Medio Maratón follows a 21.097 km route through the heart of the Spanish capital, starting and finishing on the elegant Paseo de Recoletos in front of the National Library. The 2026 edition retained the central route introduced in 2025, which takes runners past many of Madrid’s most recognisable landmarks.

From the start on Paseo de la Castellana — one of Madrid’s grandest avenues — runners headed north to Plaza de Castilla for a 180-degree turn before returning south through Bravo Murillo and looping east through the Canal de Isabel II area. The second half of the course brought the real spectacle: runners swept past the Puerta de Alcalá, down the Gran Vía, through Sol, past the Palacio Real, and along the Paseo del Prado with views of the Museo del Prado, before the final push back to Recoletos past the Fuente de Cibeles and Fuente de Neptuno.

With 129 metres of cumulative elevation gain, the Madrid course is not entirely flat — the undulations through the city’s terrain add character and challenge, particularly in the closing stages. But for those with the legs to handle it, the enthusiastic Madrid crowds and the stunning urban backdrop make for one of Europe’s most exciting half marathon experiences.

25 Years and 31,000 Runners: A Milestone Edition

The 25th anniversary edition was the biggest in the race’s history by a significant margin. With 28,000 half marathon entries — sold out well in advance — and 3,000 runners in the ProFuturo 5K charity race, the total field of 31,000 dwarfed the previous record of nearly 27,000 set in 2025.

The international makeup of the field reflected Madrid’s growing reputation as a destination race: 41% of half marathon entries came from overseas, with France, the United Kingdom, and Italy leading the international contingent. Women made up 32% of participants, a figure that continues to grow year on year. The race’s estimated economic impact for the city was calculated at nearly €30 million.

The ProFuturo 5K, now in its 10th edition, ran alongside the main event as a charity race supporting educational programmes for children around the world — a reminder that the Madrid Half Marathon is about far more than elite competition.

Key Takeaways from Madrid Half Marathon 2026

• Kibet’s dynasty: Levy Kibet Chematot’s back-to-back victories (1:00:46 in 2025, 1:00:50 in 2026) establish him as the dominant force in Madrid — and a consistent sub-1:01 performer on a technical urban course.
• Total Kenyan dominance: Kenya swept both podiums — 1-2 in the men’s race and 1-2-3 in the women’s, with six Kenyans in the men’s top six.
• Chepngetich’s class: Lidwina Chepngetich’s 1:08:31 was a composed, front-running victory that held off the close challenge of Chepkemoi Sang (1:09:00) in the closing stages.
• Record participation: 31,000 total runners — with 41% international entries — smashed previous records and cements Madrid as one of Europe’s premier half marathons.
• 25th anniversary milestone: A quarter-century of the Movistar Madrid Medio Maratón, with the event growing from a national road race into one of the biggest and most international half marathons in the world.
• Spanish representation: Juan Pérez Moreno (1:04:25) led the home contingent in eighth place, while Fatima Azzahraa (1:13:53) was the top Spanish woman in fourth.

Full official results including all finishers are available on the Sportmaniacs results portal.