Sunday, 18 October 2026 is set to be a landmark day for Cape Town running. The inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon takes over the city’s streets, with Table Mountain standing guard over a field that mixes elite speedsters, weekend warriors and first-time entrants, all chasing the same finish line on Darling Street.
The race runs under the theme: Rise. Remember. Run., and it brings together more than just a marathon. Runners can also take on the Slave Route Challenge over 21 km, 10 km and 5 km, meaning there’s a distance for almost anyone willing to lace up.
A course built on history and hills
The 42 km route doesn’t waste time easing runners in. The toughest climbing comes early, through District Six, the Company’s Garden and the Bo-Kaap, before the course drops toward Sea Point and settles into ten fast, flat kilometres. From there it hugs the coastline out to Milnerton’s Woodbridge Island, turns back towards the city, and barely gains a metre until a gentle rise over the final 500 m sets up what could be a proper sprint finish through the Foreshore.
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For a city as hilly as Cape Town, a course this forgiving for most of its length is unusual, and it’s easy to imagine local running clubs already plotting personal bests.
Big names on the start line
The elite men’s field is stacked. Three-time Comrades Marathon champion Tete Dijana headlines it, and though he’s made his name over ultra distances, the 38-year-old has a 2:13:24 marathon in his legs and recent 10 km speed to back it up. The Netherlands’ Piet Wiersma, a Comrades winner in 2024 and three-time runner-up, brings a marathon best of 2:18:02 set this past February.
But the fastest men on paper are Simon Sibeko, Thabang Mathebula and Anthony Timoteus, all boasting 2026 times inside 2:14. Sibeko clocked 2:13:12 in May, Mathebula ran a personal best of 2:13:56 the same month, and Timoteus has been the quickest of the three this year. Add in Sboniso Sikhakhane, Khoarahlane Seutloali and Tsepo Ramashamole, each with sub-2:12 marks from past years, and the men’s race looks wide open.
The women’s field is just as compelling. Fortunate Chidzivo, who ran 2:33:30 last year, goes in as something of a favourite, up against Bize Beyira Negasa, Mahloko Malineo and Great Britain’s Carla Molinaro, who clocked 2:38:35 at the competitive 2024 Valencia Marathon.
Because it’s a brand new course, nobody quite knows what a winning time will look like, which only adds to the anticipation.
Koesister Hill waits for the shorter distances
The Slave Route Challenge’s 21 km and 10 km routes both tackle the notorious Koesister Hill in the Bo-Kaap, a climb that’s likely to slow times but should make for gripping racing. The 5 km goes the other way, finishing on a downhill stretch through the Company’s Garden built for a fast, crowd-pleasing finish.
What to expect on the day
The elite marathon gets underway at 05:30. Forecasters are expecting cool conditions with a gentle to moderate south-easterly, which shouldn’t trouble the elites but could make life a little more comfortable for amateur runners grinding out the closing kilometres.
Can’t make it to the start line? SABC 3 will broadcast the action live from 05:00 to 11:00 on Sunday, 18 October.
- Location: Strand Street, Cape Town
- Times: 05:30 start (elite marathon)
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Picture: Supplied
