Nearly 50,000 runners flooded the streets of eastern Paris on Sunday, 8 March 2026 for the 34th edition of the HOKA Semi de Paris — the world’s largest half marathon by participation. On a morning that began under light fog before clearing into ideal racing conditions, the elite fields delivered two outstanding performances: Kennedy Kimutai defended his men’s title and Ftaw Zeray destroyed the women’s course record.
The timing could not have been more fitting. On International Women’s Day, Zeray’s record-breaking run became the headline story of an event that also celebrated a milestone in participation — 46% of entrants were women, up from 35% just four years ago.
🏃 Ran the Paris Half Marathon?
Log your result, build your race history, and plan your next half marathon with RunningLog — connect Strava and your races sync automatically.
Women’s Race: Ftaw Zeray Rewrites the Record Books
Ethiopian distance specialist Ftaw Zeray produced the outstanding performance of the day, crossing the finish line at Place de la Bastille in 1:05:12 to set a new women’s course record. The 28-year-old obliterated the previous mark of 1:06:01 set by Kenya’s Sheila Chepkurui in 2023, improving it by nearly 50 seconds.
For Zeray, the result also represented a significant personal breakthrough. Her previous half marathon best stood at 1:06:04, set at the RAK Half Marathon in February 2023 — meaning she sliced nearly a full minute from her own lifetime best on the streets of Paris. Zeray has been on a steady upward trajectory in recent years, with victories at the 2025 Shanghai Half Marathon and a runner-up finish at the 2025 Berlin Half Marathon, but Paris marked her arrival as a genuine world-class force over 21.1 km.
Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat ran a strong race for second place, finishing in 1:06:31, while Kenya’s Mercy Chepwogen was right on her heels in third with 1:06:32 — separated by just one second in a dramatic battle for the minor podium spots.
Women’s Half Marathon — Top 3
| Pos | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Ftaw Zeray | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 1:05:12 ⭐ CR |
| 🥈 2 | Sarah Chelangat | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 1:06:31 |
| 🥉 3 | Mercy Chepwogen | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 1:06:32 |
Men’s Race: Kennedy Kimutai Makes It Back-to-Back
Kenya’s Kennedy Kimutai confirmed his status as the king of Paris by winning the men’s race for the second consecutive year. The 26-year-old, who trains alongside marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, crossed the line in 1:00:11 — five seconds faster than his winning time of 1:00:16 in 2025.
Kimutai’s credentials over the shorter distances are exceptional — his 58:28 10K personal best from Valencia in 2021 ranks him among the 20 fastest men in history at that distance — and once again he proved too strong for a deep Kenyan-led field when it mattered most. All three podium finishers from the 2025 edition returned this year, and Kimutai was the one who came out on top again.
Timothy Misoi, also of Kenya, stepped up from his third-place finish in 2025 to take the runner-up spot in 1:00:41. South Africa’s Thabang Mosiako, who brought a personal best of 59:52 from Riga into the race, completed the podium with a time of 1:00:44. Burundi’s Emile Hafashimana finished fourth in 1:01:04, while Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli was the first European finisher in fifth place with 1:01:30.
Men’s Half Marathon — Top 5
| Pos | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Kennedy Kimutai | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 1:00:11 |
| 🥈 2 | Timothy Misoi | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 1:00:41 |
| 🥉 3 | Thabang Mosiako | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1:00:44 |
| 4 | Emile Hafashimana | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 1:01:04 |
| 5 | Isaac Kimeli | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 1:01:30 |
The Course: A Tour of Paris at Speed
The HOKA Semi de Paris follows a large loop through the eastern half of the French capital, starting on Boulevard Saint-Germain and finishing at the iconic Place de la Bastille. With just 80 metres of elevation gain across 21.1 km, it’s widely regarded as one of Europe’s fastest urban half marathon courses.
From the start, runners head east along the Seine past the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand before crossing the Pont de Tolbiac and making their way through the Rue de Charenton toward the Bois de Vincennes — the vast parkland that serves as the green lung of eastern Paris. The return leg brings runners back through Boulevard de Bercy and along the quays before the final push to Place de la Bastille, where the energy of the finish line crowd is always electric.
Conditions on race morning were near-perfect for fast running. A light early fog lifted quickly, and without the wind or rain that plagued other early-season European races this weekend, the elite athletes had every opportunity to go fast — and they delivered.
The Bigger Picture: 50,000 Runners, 103 Nationalities
Beyond the elite performances, the 2026 Semi de Paris continued to grow as one of the world’s great mass participation events. With nearly 50,000 runners on the start line — representing 103 nationalities — the event cemented its position as the largest half marathon on the planet.
The statistics paint a picture of a race that is becoming increasingly accessible and diverse. One in three participants was tackling their first ever half marathon. Women made up 46% of the field, the highest proportion in the event’s history. International runners accounted for 15% of entries, up from 10% in 2022. And through 5,000 charity bibs supporting 110 different associations, the race raised significant funds for causes across France.
A new addition for 2026 was “The 1st Kilometre” — a kids’ run for children aged five and up, held on Saturday at the Grande Halle de la Villette. With no timing and no ranking, it was designed purely to introduce the next generation to the joy of running.
Historical Context: Kenya’s Continued Dominance
Kimutai’s victory extended Kenya’s extraordinary grip on the Semi de Paris. Since the race’s inception in 1993, Kenyan athletes have won 23 of the 34 editions on the men’s side. The men’s course record of 59:38, set by Roncer Kipkorir in 2023, survived this year, though Kimutai’s 1:00:11 represents a consistent championship-level performance.
On the women’s side, Zeray’s record-breaking run added Ethiopia’s name to a roll of honour that has been more diverse in recent years. Her 1:05:12 moves the women’s course record into truly elite territory, more than 45 seconds faster than the mark it replaced.
Key Takeaways from Paris Half Marathon 2026
- Record smashed: Ftaw Zeray’s 1:05:12 destroyed the women’s course record by nearly 50 seconds — a performance that vaults her into the conversation as one of the world’s best half marathon runners.
- Kimutai’s reign continues: Kennedy Kimutai’s back-to-back victories and improved winning time (1:00:11 vs 1:00:16 in 2025) show a champion getting stronger, not complacent.
- International Women’s Day spotlight: With 46% female participation and a record-breaking women’s champion, the 2026 edition was a fitting celebration of women in running.
- Mass participation milestone: Nearly 50,000 runners from 103 countries — with one in three running their first half marathon — confirms the Semi de Paris as a truly global event.
- Tight podium battles: Just one second separated second and third in the women’s race (Chelangat 1:06:31, Chepwogen 1:06:32), while the men’s podium was covered by just 33 seconds.
What’s Next?
For many of the 50,000 finishers, Paris was the opening act of the spring racing season. The Paris Marathon follows in just a few weeks, and runners across Europe will be using their Semi de Paris times to calibrate their marathon pacing strategies. For the elite athletes, the focus now shifts to the major spring marathons and the build toward the summer championship season.
📊 Keep Your Race History in One Place
Paris, London, Berlin — wherever you race, RunningLog lets you log results, track your progress over time, and import runs from Strava automatically.
Full official results including all finishers are available on the HOKA Semi de Paris results page.
