Joy Kemuma and Enock Kipkemboi Each Walk Away With Ksh3.5 Million After Conquering Nairobi City Marathon

Joy Kemuma completed a stunning turnaround at the Nairobi City Marathon on Sunday, storming to victory in the women's race just one year after a disappointing 13th-place finish.

In a dominant performance, Kemuma clocked 2:27:43 to seize the crown, leaving her rivals far behind. Jacinta Chepkoech secured second place with a time of 2:30:48, while Nancy Jepleting rounded out the podium in 2:31:07.

The victory was a career-defining moment for Kemuma, who credited her triumph to lessons learned from her previous attempt.

"I am so happy to finish first today," a smiling Kemuma said. "I ran last year and finished 13th. I hadn't trained well then, but this year I ensured I was fully prepared, and I'm glad I won."

Kemuma revealed that a key part of her preparation was a fifth-place finish at the Eldoret City Marathon on April 26, where she ran 2:32:24. She believes that race was a crucial stepping stone to her success in the capital.

"I had prepared well for this race," she noted. "Running the Eldoret City Marathon gave me the confidence I needed."

Runner-up Jacinta Chepkoech, who trains in Kapsabet, also celebrated a significant improvement, having finished 14th in the 2025 edition. She described the race as a grueling test of will.

"The race was very tough, but I persevered and was able to make the podium," Chepkoech said. "I thank God that today I was able to finish on the podium."

Meanwhile, Enock Kipkemboi claimed victory in the men’s race after clocking 2:09:33 ahead of Robert Kwambai, who managed 2:09:51 while Shadrack Kenduiywo completed the podium after managing a time of 2:09:55.

The fifth edition of the Nairobi City Marathon attracted a record-breaking 17,450 participants from 75 countries.

Victory will come with a big pay cheque for Kemuma and Kipkemboi as winners of the 42km race will each pocket Ksh3.5 million while Ksh2.25 million goes to second placed finishers and Ksh1.5 million for third placed runners.