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

He beats his compatriot Abderehman Asrar Hiyrden on the very finish-line tape with the same time of 2:03:59, just 32 seconds off the Seville race record, while in the women’s category Alisa Vainio prevails, breaking Finland’s national record with 2:20:39

Among the Spaniards, top positions went to Ilias Fifa, 13th with 2:08:36, and the Andalusian Fátima Ouhaddou, fifth woman with 2:24:16

The Zurich Seville Marathon once again lived up to expectations and, true to its status as the flattest course in Europe, with only 38 turns and 10 metres of elevation gain along its route, delivered a great spectacle and achieved the world’s best time of the year over the 42.195 kilometres. And with double protagonism among the 200 elite runners who took the start, as victory in the 41st edition was decided in a sprint and after a photo finish between Ethiopians Tola Shura Kitata and Abderehman Asrar Hiyrden, who crossed the line in 2:03:59 and whose final positions had to be determined by the judges after they collapsed on the finish mat following their effort.

Fighting for the Seville race record until the final metres, they finished just 32 seconds shy of the 2:03:27 set in 2024 by their compatriot Deresa Geleta. Their shared time stands not only as the world’s best mark of the year so far, but also as the third fastest time in the history of the Zurich Seville Marathon.

The final victory for Tola Shura Kitata, with visible signs of his fall on his face and shoulders, adds to the résumé of the 2020 London Marathon champion, as well as winner in Rome and Frankfurt, and also gave him a new personal best in the Andalusian capital. The same applies to runner-up Abderehman Asrar Hiyrden, who won in Seville in 2022 with 2:04:43 (a race record at the time). Likewise, fellow Ethiopian Bikila Dejene Hailu achieved a personal best, dropping from the lead group—made up of 18 runners at 10K and reduced to five until kilometre 35—in the final kilometres to complete the men’s overall podium with 2:04:15.

With a total of 23 runners under 2 hours and 10 minutes, the top Spanish finisher was Ilias Fifa, 13th in 2:08:36, achieving the qualifying standard for the European Championships in Birmingham in August. Behind him, Chakib Lachgar finished 22nd in 2:09:55, while debutant Alex García Carrillo, a world trail medallist, was the third Spanish representative with 2:12:10.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Robi Syianturi set a new national record with a time of 2:13:18, placing 40th overall. Among runners from Seville, the best finisher was Rubén Álvarez, 77th in 2:22:37.

WOMEN’S CATEGORY

In the women’s race, with 14 runners under 2 hours and 28 minutes, victory went to Finland’s Alisa Vainio, who surged in the final kilometres to overcome the African contingent. Well off the Seville record (2:18:53) from kilometre 15 onward, she won in 2:20:39, a new national record for her country, improving on her own previous mark of 2:20:48.

The Nordic runner, fifth at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, secures victory once again in the Andalusian event for a European representative, something that had not happened since Spain’s Paula González Berodia in 2017.

Behind her, the women’s podium was completed by Kenya’s Beatrice Jepchichir (2:21:56) and Ethiopian debutant Mulat Tekle (2:22:03), who, after leading the race until kilometre 35, ultimately paid for her effort.

Italy’s Elisa Palmero, making her debut with an impressive 2:24:10, finished fourth, just ahead of the first Spanish runner, Andalusia’s Fátima Ouhaddou. The reigning European champion, who stayed with the contenders for victory for 15 kilometres, narrowly missed her personal best with 2:24:16, a time that meets the qualifying standard for next summer’s European Championships.

The podium among Spanish runners also featured popular athlete Estefanía Unzu ‘Verdeliss’ (2:45:39) and Seville’s Alejandra Flores (2:46:29), who set a new record among runners born in the province in what was her second marathon.

In the wheelchair category, overall victory went to multi-time Seville champion Rafael Botello (1:56:04), joined on the men’s podium by Joaquín García (1:57:47) and Jordi Madera (2:17:18). In the women’s race, victory went to Carmen Giménez (2:17:18), repeating her success from 2024.

HISTORIC HIGH OF 17,000 BIBS

The Zurich Seville Marathon once again surpassed its historical records this year, increasing participation to 17,000 runners, 200 elite and 8,954 international athletes from more than 100 nationalities, representing 53.07% of the total — a new milestone, as was the female participation rate (21.42%) and the record number of Seville and Andalusian entrants, 2,596 and 3,689 respectively. In addition, by country and after Spain, more than 3,000 French runners took part for the first time. And after the province of Seville, Madrid was the second with the highest participation (1,336).