Af:(Kilde): Sparta Atletik & Løb HENNING OKHOLM
FOTO:Zhong Min Peng/RP© og Hasse F.©
Den 10. maj blev den 45. udgave af Copenhagen Marathon 2026 afsluttet med succes.
Den 45. udgave af Copenhagen Marathon 2026 begyndte officielt kl. 09.30 lokal tid den 10. maj, da startskuddet lød på Øster Allé i Københavns Østerbro-kvarter. Omkring 25.000 løbere fra 118 lande og regioner samledes i den danske hovedstad for at deltage i et af Nordeuropas mest indflydelsesrige langdistanceløb.
Årets løb blev arrangeret af Sparta Atletik & Løb. Siden den første Copenhagen Marathon blev afholdt i 1980, har Sparta stået for den årlige organisering af arrangementet – med undtagelse af 2020, hvor løbet blev aflyst på grund af pandemien. Den første udgave i 1980 havde blot 995 tilmeldte løbere, mens alle startnumre til 2026-udgaven blev udsolgt, hvilket gjorde det til det største Copenhagen Marathon nogensinde.
I mændenes eliteløb krydsede løberne målstregen mellem kl. 11.37 og 11.42. Etiopiens Tadesse Kassa sikrede sig sejren med tiden 2:08:26. Kenyas Vincent Mutai sluttede på andenpladsen blot fire sekunder efter, mens endnu en etiopisk løber, Deyene Wefen, tog tredjepladsen.
Løbet var præget af intens konkurrence, hvor Kassa og Mutai løb side om side i næsten 40 kilometer. De to fulgtes tæt gennem hele ruten, inden Kassa gradvist trak fra i den afsluttende spurt og som den første krydsede målstregen i Fælledparken på Østerbro. Kassas sluttid var kun tre sekunder fra maratonrekorden på 2:08:23.
Den danske løber Valdemar Møller, som er studerende og atlet i Sparta Atletik, gennemførte i tiden 2:18:32 og sluttede som nummer 18 samlet, hvilket gjorde ham til årets hurtigste danske mandlige løber. Han vandt samtidig det danske maratonmesterskab. Jakob Dahl blev næstbedste danske løber.
I kvindernes løb vandt kenyanske Mercy Chebwogen titlen med tiden 2:22:08 og sluttede mere end ét minut foran nummer to. Tigist Gashaw fra Bahrain blev nummer to, mens Etiopiens Fantu Shugi tog tredjepla
The 45th Copenhagen Marathon 2026 Concludes Successfully
(ENGLISH)
By:(Source): Sparta Athletics & Running HENNING OKHOLM
PHOTO:Zhong Min Peng/RP© and Hasse F.©
On May 10, the 45th Copenhagen Marathon 2026 concluded successfully.
The 45th Copenhagen Marathon 2026 officially began at 9:30 a.m. local time on May 10, with the starting gun fired on Øster Allé in Copenhagen’s Ø district. Around 25,000 runners from 118 countries and regions gathered in the Danish capital to participate in one of the most influential long-distance running events in Northern Europe.
This year’s race was organized by Sparta Atletik & Løb. Since hosting the inaugural Copenhagen Marathon in 1980, Sparta has continued to organize the event annually, except in 2020 when it was canceled due to the pandemic. The first edition in 1980 attracted only 995 registered runners, while all entries for the 2026 race sold out, making it the largest Copenhagen Marathon in history.
In the men’s elite race, runners crossed the finish line between 11:37 a.m. and 11:42 a.m. Ethiopia’s Tadesse Kassa claimed victory with a time of 2:08:26. Kenya’s Vincent Mutai finished second, just four seconds behind, while another Ethiopian runner, Deyene Wefen, took third place.
The race was fiercely competitive, with Kassa and Mutai running side by side for nearly 40 kilometers. The two remained closely matched throughout the course before Kassa gradually pulled ahead during the final sprint to cross the finish line first at Fælledparken in Copenhagen’s Østerbro district. Kassa’s finishing time was only three seconds short of the marathon record of 2:08:23.
Danish runner Valdemar Møller, a student athlete from Sparta Athletics Club, finished in 2:18:32 and placed 18th overall, making him the fastest Danish male runner of this year’s event. He also claimed the Danish National Marathon Championship title. Jakob Dahl finished second among Danish runners.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Mercy Chebwogen won the title with a time of 2:22:08, finishing more than one minute ahead of the runner-up. Tigist Gashaw of Bahrain placed second, while Ethiopia’s Fantu Shugi finished third.
Among Danish women, Luna Paltorp captured the Danish National Championship title, finishing 20 seconds ahead of Sofie Lorenzen to become the fastest Danish female runner of the event.
Notably, Vincent Mutai had originally finished second in the 44th Copenhagen Marathon in 2025. However, after the original winner, Behanu Tesfaye, was disqualified for doping violations, Mutai was later officially recognized as the 2025 Copenhagen Marathon champion.
With the successful conclusion of its 45th edition, the Copenhagen Marathon once again demonstrated its international appeal, high competitive standard, and strong public participation, further solidifying its position as one of Europe’s premier marathon events.
