Champions crowned in Cape Town

Three champions retained their titles on a thrilling day at the Abbott World Marathon Majors Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Championships.

On a stunning day in Cape Town, Tom van Ongeval became a three-time champion by defending the 50-54 category which he won in New York. The Belgian won the first of his three titles in London in 2022.

Japanese runner Yoji Kawese followed up his 2025 victory to become a back-to-back champion in the 75-79 category.

In the women's race, Great Britain's Andrea Simmons defended the 70-74 category she won in Central Park in November.

Russian Yuri Strofilov became a two-time champion, running 2:45:53 to win the 60-64 category, adding to his win in 2021.

There was a new competition record in the male 80+ category with John Fanshawe crossing the line in 4:08:28, winning his first age group title in the process.

On a momentous day for South Africa, the host nation had its first age group champion as Elizabeth Potter won the 55-59 category.

Female

40-44

1 - Doris Maria NAGEL-WALLIMANN (SUI), 2:48:14

2 - Anna IOGANSEN (PUR), 2:57:27

3 - Sheena LOGAN (GBR), 2:58:43

45-49

1 - Véronique LEBOEUF (CAN), 2:52:43

2 - Bibo GAO (CHN) 2:56:05

3 - Katya OLIVARES ALVAREZ (MEX), 2:56:34

50-54

1 - Astrid ROBERTS (AUS),2:51:58

2 - Noriko UCHIDA (JPN), 2:52:33

3 - Nina RILLSTONE (NZL), 2:52:37

55-59

1 - Elizabeth POTTER (RSA), 3:01:26

2 - Tracie HOBAN (AUS), 3:01:54

3 - Shiho NAKATSU (JPN), 3:02:30

60-64

1 - Yongson BASTA (USA), 3:15:23

2 - Elmarie COETZEE (RSA), 3:20:09

3 - Maria Pilar WHITWORTH (USA), 3:20:27

65-69

1 - Tomoko YAMADA (JPN), 3:16:27

2 - Sandy MASTERS (GBR), 3:24:48

3 - Gwen JACOBSON (USA), 3:27:07

70-74

1 - Andrea SIMMONS (GBR), 3:41:52

2 - Jennifer KELLETT (AUS), 3:48:22

3 - Grace WASIELEWSKI (USA), 3:48:44

75-79

1 - Penny JARVIS (GBR), 3:57:13

2 - Donna PIERSON (USA), 4:52:10

3 - Norah DOHERTY (RSA), 5:03:30

Male

40-44

1 - Jose Eraldo LIMA (BRA), 2:23:47

2 - Aleksei SILIN (RUS), 2:24:00

3 - Cesar LIZANO (CRC), 2:24:36

M45-49

1 - Naoki MATSUOKA (JPN), 2:30:19

2 - Maarten MAST (NED), 2:30:22

3 - James O'BRIEN (GBR), 2:31:24

M50-54

1 - Tom van ONGEVAL (BEL), 2:29:44

2 - Maxwell SOBETSHE (RSA), 2:36:32

3 - Viktor VLADIMIROV (RUS), 2:38:47

M55-59

1 - Robert ASHBY (USA), 2:38:57

2 - Magnus ÅHSBERG (SWE), 2:40:18

3 - Flavio DE SIMONE (USA), 2:40:29

M60-64

1 - Yuri STROFILOV (RUS), 2:45:53

2 - Fernando VILELA (POR), 2:47:08

3 - Niels BRUUN (DEN), 2:48:31

M65-69

1 - Sergey APENKO (KAZ), 3:00:02

2 - Lars Harald BLIKRA (NOR), 3:03:03

3 - Genadij MAKUSEV (LTU), 3:09:10

M70-74

1 - Andrew KILBACK (CAN), 3:09:07

2 - David GIBSON (GBR), 3:18:40

3 - Jeffrey NG KHAI MIN (SGP), 3:22:03

M75-79

1 - Yoji KAWASE (JPN), 3:48:58

2 - Francis BRENNAN (GBR), 3:50:08

3 - Tore TVILDE (NOR), 3:52:13

M80+

1 - John FANSHAWE (GBR), 4:08:28

2 - Bill SALAZAR (USA), 4:46:56

3 - Mark HEADBUSH (RSA), 4:52:47

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