Ethiopian runner Nebritle Melak became the champion of the men's elite race at the Dubai Marathon 2026, held today as part of the 25th edition of the event. Melak claimed the title in his first participation, becoming the sixth consecutive runner to win the men's race on his first attempt. The 25th Dubai Marathon, held under the patronage of the Dubai Sports Council and finishing at the Dubai Police Academy, saw a total of 20,000 runners participating in various races, including the 10-kilometer and 4-kilometer races, with a record participation of 4,000 runners in the full marathon. Melak completed the 42.195 km distance in 2 hours and 4 minutes, confirming his superiority in his first marathon attempt. Meanwhile, his compatriot Anshinalu Desi continued her brilliant performances in the women's race, securing her third consecutive marathon victory and setting a personal record of 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 31 seconds. Both times were recognized as the best world times recorded in a marathon in 2026. Melak became the sixth Ethiopian runner to win the men's race in Dubai on his first attempt, while the total number of new winners in both the men's and women's races reached 11, benefiting from the fast and flat nature of the marathon course. Ethiopian Yasin Haji finished second with a time of 2:05:52, while Rwandan runner John Hakizimana came third, setting a new national record of 2:06:04 in ideal weather conditions for the race. In the women's race, Desi delivered an outstanding performance, finishing first, while Ethiopian runners Mole Dikibu and Fantu Worku took second and third place with times of 2:18:43 and 2:19:08, respectively. After the main race concluded, Saeed Harib, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, in the presence of Advisor Ahmed Al Kamali, General Coordinator of the Dubai Marathon, crowned the winners in the men's and women's categories. Melak stated after his victory that his preparation was ideal, and his goal from the beginning was to win in his first participation, noting that his future ambition is to break the world record. He also mentioned that he managed to equal the third-fastest time in Dubai Marathon history, just 26 seconds behind the course record. Desi, for her part, confirmed that she was confident in her ability to win in the final stages of the race, considering that setting a new personal record is an important step in her career, with aspirations for even better times in the future. Advisor Ahmed Al Kamali, General Coordinator of the Dubai Marathon 2026, confirmed that the results of the 25th edition were positive and satisfactory on all levels, noting that the time recorded in the marathon is the second-best in the event's history, reflecting the high technical level and the strength of the competition. Al Kamali explained that participation in the various races was remarkable, with the 10-kilometer race seeing nearly 9,000 participants and the full marathon attracting close to 4,000 runners, emphasizing that these figures reflect the great turnout and the organizational success of the event. He also pointed out that the top ten finishers in the marathon all recorded times of less than two hours and eight minutes. In the 10-kilometer race, the top three spots in the men's category were taken by Bulgarian Miroslav Spasov, Emirati Saeed Al Naaimi, and Briton Elliot Blair, with times of 31:40, 31:50, and 31:58 minutes, respectively. In the women's category, Croatian Šaj Faber won first place, followed by Frenchwoman Chloé Hamard and Jordanian Hiba Hamoudin, recording times of 36:46, 37:06, and 37:15 minutes, respectively. The top three finishers in both the men's and women's categories received cash prizes of $80,000 for first place, $40,000 for second, and $20,000 for third.
