Cheboi and Aregawi take top prize in the 2026 Ottawa International Marathon

May 24, 2026 (Ottawa, ON) – More than 16,800 elite and recreational runners filled the streets of the nation’s capital on a cool and rainy day for the 2026 Tamarack Homes Ottawa International Marathon and the Ottawa Half Marathon presented by Desjardins.

This year’s elite field featured Canadian standouts Rory Linkletter and Natasha Wodak, along with top international contenders such as Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata and Meseret Belete. 

In the men’s division, it was a tight race with a pack of six runners leading most of the race, with Canada’s Linkletter among them. But it was Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi who broke the tape in the men’s marathon, finishing in 2:09:22. In the women’s race, Sweden’s Abeba Aregawi claimed victory in 2:23:12, a new Swedish national record. Both champions will take home $24,000.

The 2026 marathon followed the new route introduced last year. Runners began at Ottawa City Hall, travelled west along Wellington, crossed into Gatineau on the Chaudière Bridge, looped through downtown Gatineau, returned over the Alexandra Bridge, continued along Sussex, and then followed Colonel By Drive before finishing on Queen Elizabeth Drive.

Along the way, athletes were bolstered by 28 official Cheer Stations, where local bands, DJs, and thousands of spectators rang cowbells despite the weather. It was the largest number of cheer stations ever placed along a Canadian marathon route.

Running 42.2 km with purpose

More than 87 charities participated in the Desjardins Charity Challenge, which this year surpassed $10 million raised since 2015.

Among those runners fundraising today was Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. He ran an unofficial race starting at 4:00 am to raise money for the Ending Youth Homelessness in Ottawa by 2030 Fund. He revealed a total of over $117,000 at the finish line.

Kristian Jamieson, great-great-grandson of legendary Onondaga runner Tom Longboat, was one of this year’s elite runners. After finishing the 2026 Boston Marathon in 2:33, Jamieson’s aim for Ottawa was to beat Longboat’s historic 2:24:24 Boston time on Canadian soil. Although he beat his Boston time, Jamieson ended up finishing today’s race in 2:31:23.

In the half marathon, Quebec MP Eric St-Pierre became the first person to complete the event dressed as the Peace Tower. Designed by Vestech Pro, a company in his riding and a costume designer for Cirque du Soleil, the outfit brought smiles to both runners and spectators throughout the course.

Sudarshan Gautam, who lost both arms at age 13 in a life-altering accident, completed the half marathon in 2:58:08. A global advocate for disability awareness and the first person without arms to summit Mount Everest, Gautam brought his trademark determination to the course, showing once again that possibility is defined not by circumstance, but by resolve.

Results

Full results of the 2026 Tamarack Homes Ottawa International Marathon are available at: Sportstats | Results |

Participation numbers

A total of 39,659 people took part in the 2026 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend:

  • Ottawa Kids Marathon: 1,934
  • Ottawa 2K:  3,687
  • Ottawa 5K: 9,089
  • Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa: 8,102
  • Ottawa Half Marathon: 12,001 
  • Tamarack Homes Ottawa International Marathon: 4,846

About Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Tamarack Homes Ottawa International Marathon, Ottawa Half Marathon presented by Desjardins, Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa, Ottawa 5K, Ottawa 2K, and Ottawa Kids Marathon, as well as three multi-event challenges. In 2025, runners and walkers raised $969,602.02 for local and national charities through the Desjardins Charity Challenge.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is one of only two running events in Canada to host a World Athletics label marathon, and is home to Athletics Canada’s Canadian 10K Championships. The weekend was named Event of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Tourism Awards, and in 2020, title sponsor Tamarack Homes won Sport Tourism Canada’s Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year Award.

Media relations contact: Karie Ford, media@runottawa.ca