Kenyan Vincent Kipkorir won the 2026 TotalEnergies Malaga Half Marathon, finishing the race in 59 minutes 30 seconds. The event has continued to grow rapidly with an unprecedented number of participants.
The race attracted 12,000 runners, up from 8,000 in the previous year. Final results were 9,780 participants and 9,480 finishers, which is a 48 percent increase compared to 2025.
The Kenyan, a former Malaga Marathon winner in 2024, was with the main group until the last five kilometres of the race. He was pushed along by the crowds to cross the finish line on Paseo del Parque.
Kipkorir is the only runner who has broken the 60-minute barrier. Shadrack Ngumubu-Musyoka was a second-place finisher in Kenya in 1:00.16. Mathew Kippoech Kipruto finished third in 1:00.29.
Kenyan Olympic athlete Esther Chebet won the women’s race with a time that was a personal record of 1:06;33. Slovenian Klara Lukan placed second in the women’s race with a time of 1:06:33, a new record for her country. Kenyan Winnie Kimutai finished third, clocking 1:08:22.
Spanish Success
Marta Galimany of Spain was the best finisher from the national women’s category. Tokyo 2020 Olympian, Marta Galimany, finished in fifth place overall with a 1:09-minute personal record. She is also Spain’s best half marathon runner this year.
Among local runners, Marbella athlete Daniel García was the first from Malaga province to cross the line. He finished in 12th place overall, representing Trops Cueva de Nerja.
Ninth fastest
The race records from 2025 did not change despite ideal conditions for running in Malaga. Mild temperatures and a light breeze were present. Kipkorir’s time of under an hour still kept 2026’s half marathon among the world’s fastest.
According to data released following the race, Kipkorir’s time for the Malaga Half Marathon currently ranks it as the ninth-fastest in the entire world in 2026. This year, the women’s race ranks sixth.
Nearly half of Malaga’s participants are from outside Spain. These figures confirm the event’s growing international reputation.
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