Dominant Kenyan men sweep podium in Milan Marathon

Kenya enjoyed a bright day in the sun after three of its athletes locked out the podium in the 24th edition of the Wizz Air Milano men’s marathon on Sunday, 12 April.

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In the race involving over 15,000 participants, it was Vitalis Kibiwott who took the top honors, leading a Kenyan sweep in a personal best time of 2:06.35.

The 27-year-old, who took command of the race after the half-way mark, was followed by fellow Kenyans Amos Kiprotich Kiplagat and Laban Kiplimo, who clocked 2:08.14 and 2:08.23 in second and third place respectively.

The win was Kibiwott’s first in 2026, and came months after setting his initial personal best time of 2:07.14 at the Mersin Marathon in Turkey in December.

Kibiwott did not lead the race until the final half, when he did well to recover from slipping up to 49 seconds behind the then race leader Victor Ngeno.

After trailing to Geoffrey Kipsang through the 15 and 21 kilometer marks, Kibiwott turned on the afterburners in the resulting four-kilometre split, nudging 16 seconds ahead of his closest challenger in the 25km mark, before blazing away to win by 1 minute and 39 seconds.

Fourth place still went Kenya’s way, as Elkana Kiprop Kipkemei finished just outside the podium, clocking 2:08.42.

The race's first non-Kenyan finisher was Adane Dinkalem Ayele of Ethiopia, who was fifth in a time of 2:08.46.

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And while Kenya’s supremacy was felt in the men’s marathon, the women’s event went to Ethiopia, who responded with a similar sweep of their own.

The win went to Yeshii Kalayu Chekole, who clocked the fastest women’s time on Italian soil this year (2:20.15), and recorded the second-fastest ever at the Milano Marathon.

The runner-up slot went to fellow Ethiopian Iddeessaa Eebbisee Addunyaa in 2:21:13, with Sintayehu Tilahun Getahun finishing third in 2:25:29.

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Kenya’s highest finisher was Naomi Chepkorir in fifth (2:26.05), behind another Ethiopian - Gedamu Gebiyanesh - who was fourth in 2:25.53.

This year’s race saw the route assume a straight line rather than a loop, starting on Corso Sempione, and finishing in Piazza del Duomo.