Runners participate in the Beijing Marathon on October 18, 2026 in Beijing. Photo: Courtesy of Beijing Marathon organizers

Ethiopia's reigning Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola won the 2026 Beijing Marathon on Sunday in 2:03:10, setting a course record and the fastest time ever recorded at a marathon held in China.

The 35-year-old's performance at the Beijing Marathon, which also hosted the National Marathon Championships, beat the previous course record of 2:07:06 by almost four minutes.

Tola's winning time surpassed the previous fastest time recorded in a marathon in China, 2:05:35, set by Kenyan runner Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba at the 2023 Shanghai Marathon.

The result also underlined Tola's status as one of the leading marathon runners of his generation.

He won the men's marathon at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in 2:05:36, then claimed Olympic gold at the Paris 2024 Games in an Olympic-record time of 2:06:26.

With Beijing set to host the 2027 World Athletics Championships, 12 years after the 2015 edition, Tola's record could face a new challenge next year.

Rain on Saturday gave way to cool, clear conditions for Sunday's race. The race began at Tian'anmen Square, with 32,000 runners taking part.

Tola's record-setting victory set a new benchmark for the Beijing Marathon and brought the fastest marathon time recorded in China into the 2:03 range.

The event is one of the country's major mass-participation road races, bringing international elite runners together with domestic competitors.

Under the Beijing Marathon's prize policy, the men's and women's champions each receive $50,000. An additional 60,000 yuan ($8,967) is available to a champion who breaks the event's course record.

Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe, who made history in April by becoming the first man to run an official marathon in under 2 hours in London, was also in Beijing during the marathon weekend, according to media reports.

He visited Peking University, where he shared his experiences and training insights with the young Chinese runners, offering a message to young runners just starting out: "Stay passionate, be patient and remain disciplined."