TEKLU DEFENDS SEOUL TITLE BY ONE SECOND IN A SIX-MAN SPRINT
Haftu Teklu held off Getaneh Molla by one second to win the 2026 Seoul International Marathon in 2:04:23, lowering his own course record by nearly 80 seconds. Haven Hailu Desse took the women's title in 2:19:09, smashing the previous course record by over two minutes.
A Six-Man Fight to the Finish
The men's race stayed bunched for almost the entire 26.2 miles. Six runners hit 40k together in 1:58:03, all of them still in contention. Molla was the first to push, but Teklu sat on his shoulder and refused to let a gap open. They came around the final bend with Molla a step ahead, and Teklu launched a finishing kick that carried him across the line one second clear.
The depth behind them was staggering. Gilbert Kibet (Kenya) ran 2:04:32 for third. Tsegaye Getachew clocked 2:04:33 in fourth. Sufaro Woliyi Kabeto finished fifth in 2:04:36. All five broke Teklu's previous course record of 2:05:42 from last year. Six men under 2:05 at a single race is rare at any level.
Sisay Lemma, the pre-race favorite with a 2:01:48 personal best, was not among the top finishers. His struggles continue after a DNF at Boston last year and a 2:08:58 showing in Valencia.
Desse Runs Away After 35k
The women's race told a different story. Desse ran with a pack through the half in 1:08:42 and 30k in 1:37:46, content to bide her time. She made her move after 35 kilometers, pulling clear and reaching 40k in 2:12:01 before finishing solo in 2:19:09 for a personal best.
Bekelech Gudeta took second in 2:19:39 as Ethiopian runners swept the podium, with Bosena Mulatie third in 2:19:47. Kenya's Joyce Chepkemoi Tele, previously unbeaten in three career marathons, ran a breakthrough 2:19:50 for fourth. All four women broke the previous course record of 2:21:32.
Conditions and Context
Cool temperatures around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius and overcast skies made for nearly ideal marathon conditions in Seoul. The 96th edition of the Dong-A Marathon — a race first held in 1931 under Japanese occupation — drew 20,000 full marathon entries and another 20,000 in the 10k, with international participation up 70% from 2025.
Teklu's 2:04:23 and his dramatic title defense position him as a contender heading into the fall major season and the 2026 World Championships in Tokyo. For Desse, the personal best signals she belongs in the conversation at the Abbott World Marathon Majors level.