Copenhagen Marathon: Race Record Crushed by Debutant

Following a third-place finish at the Paris Half Marathon in March, Chebwogen’s debut at the full distance was highly anticipated. Conditions in Copenhagen were ideal—12 degrees Celsius with overcast skies—and the elite women set an aggressive opening pace. Passing the 10K mark in 32:23, the leaders were initially on track for a sub-2:19 finish.

While seven women stayed with the male pacemaker through a 1:09:21 half-marathon split, Chebwogen employed a more conservative tactic, trailing the leaders by nearly a minute at the halfway point. However, as the lead group’s pace began to flag, Chebwogen surged, catching them at the 28 km mark. By 35 km, she had built a 25-second lead over Tigist Gashaw (BRN), eventually crossing the line in 2:22:08.

Not only did she improve the race record by more than a minute, but she also set a new Danish All-Comers' Record. To top off the achievement, Chebwogen was celebrating her 30th birthday; however, she was too exhausted immediately following the race to comment on her historic victory.

Men’s Race: A Thrilling Finish
In the men’s field, Ethiopia's Tadesse Kassa claimed victory in 2:08:26. While he missed the course record by a mere five seconds, the 22-year-old was thrilled with the win and a new personal best.

"I gave everything I had; there was nothing left in me. I am incredibly happy to win here today—I hadn’t counted on it. This is undoubtedly the biggest win of my career," Kassa told the press.

The pace was held steady by Reuben Rono until the 30 km mark, at which point a lead group of seven remained. Vincent Mutai (KEN) challenged Kassa until the very end but ultimately finished second—mirroring his 2025 result—with a new PB of 2:08:30.

National Highlights and Record Attendance
Omar Hassan, representing the World Athletics Refugee Team, finished 9th with a PB of 2:12:20. Despite being based in Denmark since 2014, he was ineligible for the National Championships. Those titles went to two new names, Valdemar Meiling (2:18:32) and Luna Andrea Paltorp (2:36:56), both representing the host club, Sparta.

With 22,424 runners at the starting line, the 2026 Copenhagen Marathon officially became the largest marathon ever held on Danish soil. The city’s running fever is expected to peak again on September 19–20, when 65,000 participants are anticipated for the World Athletics Road Running Championships, featuring the Mile, 5K, and Half Marathon.

FACTS: Top 3 Finishers at the 2026 Copenhagen Marathon

Men

1. Tadesse Kassa ETH 2:08:26
2. Vincent Mutai KEN 2:08:30
3. Dejene Weyfen ETH 2:09:14

Women

1. Mercy Chebwogen KEN 2:22:08 – course record
2. Tigist Gashaw BRN 2:23:07
3. Fantu Shugi ETH 2:24:38