Double Ethiopian win at Dubai Marathon 2026

The 25th edition of the Dubai Marathon saw Nibret Melak and Ancinalu Dessie win the men’s and women’s marathon. 

While this year’s Dubai Marathon unveiled a number of changes, capped by a stunning grandstand finish, two familiar themes remained: Ethiopian supremacy and a debutant’s triumph.

Among the top ten finishers in both the men’s and women’s races at the 25th Dubai Marathon, John Hakizimana of Rwanda was the only runner who was not Ethiopian.

The Marathon is widely regarded as an ideal race for debut marathon runners because the course is exceptionally flat and fast, with minimal elevation changes and long, straight sections that help runners set and maintain an even pace.

Melak and Dessie’s wins mark the fifth consecutive year that the winners of the Dubai Marathon have both came from Ethiopia, and the sixth year in a row that a debutant has won, thanks to Melak’s 2:04:00 finish.

Speaking on his win, a delighted Melak said: “I was very well prepared and it was always my goal to win on my debut.”

“My big goal in the future is to break the world record.“

Melak matched the third-fastest time ever recorded on the course and fell just 26 seconds short of the course record. He celebrated at the finish alongside his training partner and runner-up, Yasin Haji.

A late addition to the Dubai Marathon field, Dessie stormed to victory and slashed nearly four minutes off her personal best. Muliye Dekebo finished just 12 second behind women's winner Dessie, with Fantu Worku ending the race in third.

At just 23 years old, she extended her perfect marathon record to three wins from three starts, having won on her debut at the Seville Marathon last year in 2:22:17 and then again in Beijing in early November with a time of 2:26:08.

In the closing stages of the women’s race, Dekebo looked set for victory after building a strong lead, but with just over 2km remaining she was struck by stomach problems. Dessie capitalised at the 40km mark, moving past her and going on to claim the biggest win of her career.

“I thought I could still win it in the latter stages of the race and while it’s nice to run a personal best, but I think I can even run faster in the future,“ said Dessie.

Following the race, medals and trophies were presented to the top three elite finishers in each category by HE Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council. With additional 10km and 4km events, the 25th Dubai Marathon attracted 20,000 participants overall, including a record 4,000 marathon runners.

The Dubai Marathon celebrated its 25th anniversary in style, marking a significant milestone for Dubai’s longest-standing marathon and one of the region’s flagship sporting events. The silver-jubilee edition reflected both the race’s rich heritage and its continued evolution, combining a refreshed course and grandstand finish with the world-class organisation it has become known for.