KWAL’s Commercial Director, Alice Mwalimo (C), leads her team in handing over a Sh10 million dummy cheque to Standard Chartered’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing (CABM) for Kenya & Africa, Joyce Kibe (L) and Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon Local Organising Committee member David Mwindi (R)/ HANDOUTThis year's Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon will welcome athletes from 102 nationalities, up from 92 in 2025, Standard Chartered's Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing for Kenya and Africa, Joyce Kibe, has revealed.
Kibe was speaking during the marathon's sponsors' engagement breakfast on Tuesday morning at the Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi. “Most people who come for the Standard Chartered Marathon are looking to improve their personal best so that they can qualify for bigger events."
"That is why we have seen an increase in nationalities this year from 92 to 102,” Kibe said.
The 2026 edition has attracted more than 30,000 runners across six categories: the full marathon (42km), half marathon (21km), 21km wheelchair race, 10km, 5km fun run and the CEO Challenge.
Kibe added that the next three editions of the StanChart Marathon (2026, 2027 and 2028) will play a vital role in preparing Nairobi for the 2029 World Athletics Championships, where the marathon will feature for the final time. “The StanChart Marathon attracts top runners, so we believe the race will contribute to the success of the World Championships,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Local Organising Committee chair David Mwindi revealed that organisers had deliberately expanded the elite field to more than 400 athletes by tapping into the rich athletics talent pipeline in North Rift.
“We were very deliberate because we aspire to make this one of the premier marathons. For you to do that, you have to grow the number of your elite runners."
"We have worked together with Athletics Kenya and our other partners. We are tapping into the ecosystem within the North Rift region where there is a lot of talent,” Mwindi said.
He added that the elite field will continue to grow in future editions, but stressed that quality would remain the priority. “We are looking at expanding the elite field in future. But as an accredited race, we don't just target numbers; we have to ensure the experience matches what we are promising.”
The sponsors' breakfast also marked a financial milestone, with the 2026 race securing a record Sh273 million in combined sponsorship.
This year's marathon has brought together 56 sponsors, up from 43 in 2025, a 30 per cent increase. Standard Chartered has committed Sh130 million, while partners have contributed Sh143 million in cash and in-kind support.
The combined sponsorship package is 17 per cent higher than the Sh233 million raised in 2025 and 58 per cent above the Sh173 million secured in 2024.
Among the headline partners is Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL), which has invested Sh10 million as the rights holder of the 21km Half Marathon.
Mwindi said the collective investment would elevate race delivery while extending the marathon's impact beyond race day.
“This record Sh273 million investment reflects the shared commitment of Standard Chartered and our sponsors to delivering a world-class marathon with lasting impact.”
Organisers have also adjusted the race schedule after learning valuable lessons from last year's event, when soaring temperatures affected runners. “We have tweaked the start times, and we will start a little earlier."
"The lessons we learned from last year included the heat wave on marathon day. To better accommodate all the runners, we have moved the start times slightly earlier."
"We have also put in more interventions in terms of hydration and medical support,” he said. Confident of another successful edition, Mwindi promised participants an even better race experience. “Each year we take feedback from participants to make future events even better. We promise that this year will be an even better event.”
