Uganda’s Leonard Chemonges and Kenya’s Margaret Japchumba were the headline winners at the fifth Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon in Kasese on Saturday, August 22, 2026, as Chemonges set a new course record in the men’s 42.2km race.
Chemonges completed the full marathon in 2:13:26 to win the men’s title and pocket Shs40 million together with a new Siro electric motorcycle.
His victory was part of a strong Ugandan performance in the men’s full marathon, with Alex Mutai finishing second in 2:13:37 and Fred Cherotwo third in 2:13:50.
Mutai took home Shs20 million, while Cherotwo earned Shs10 million.
Chemonges’ winning time broke the previous course record of 2:14:59 set by fellow Ugandan Alex Chelangat in 2024.
Kenya’s Japchumba won the women’s 42.2km race in 2:39:16, also taking home Shs40 million and an electric motorcycle.
Uganda’s Vanis Chemutai finished second in the women’s full marathon in 2:43:32, while Joan Chebet was third in 2:44:08.
In the men’s 21.1km race, Abel Chebet emerged victorious in 1:02:00, securing another win at a competition where he has now dominated four of the five editions.
Sam Yeko finished second in 1:02:02, while Oscar Kibet placed third in 1:02:44.
Gloria Chebet won the women’s 21.1km race in 1:12:10, ahead of Prisca Chesang Chemweno and Viola Chemos Munerya.
The 2026 race attracted about 8,000 runners from dozens of countries and became Uganda’s first World Athletics Label Road Race.
The international recognition is a significant milestone for an event that has grown rapidly since its first edition, strengthening efforts to position Kasese and the Rwenzori region as a sports tourism destination.
The race combines elite athletics with the dramatic landscape of the Rwenzori foothills, giving runners and visitors an experience that goes beyond competition.
For Kasese, the marathon is becoming an annual meeting point between sport, tourism and local enterprise — and the growing numbers suggest that Uganda may have found another way to make its landscapes part of the international sporting calendar.
