Q COSTARICA — San José once again became the athletics capital on Sunday with the eighth edition of the San José Marathon.
The 2026 San José Marathon competition brought together 5,000 athletes from more than 25 countries, who participated in the certified distances of 42K, 21K, 10.5K, and 5K.
The official start took place at 5:00 a.m. from the Parque Central in the heart of San José, in an event organized by the Comité Cantonal de Deportes y Recreación de San José (San José Cantonal Sports and Recreation Committee).
The event was supported by the Municipality of San José and solidified its position as one of the country’s premier sporting competitions.
The star of the day was Kenyan Rodgers Ondati Gesabwa, who set a new marathon record, completing the 42 kilometers in 2:19:45 and became the overall male winner.
In the women’s division, Mexico’s Argentina Valdepeña took first place with a time of 2:50:32, marking her third victory in the San José Marathon, on a date that also coincided with her birthday.
Costa Rica also excelled in the main race with Ángelo Olivo and Susana Guillén Mora as the top national representatives.
Olivo finishing third overall in the men’s division, while Guillén Mora finished third in the women’s division.
Concurrently, the San José Without Barriers Mini Race took place, focused on promoting sports inclusion for people with disabilities.
The event began at the Costa Rican Museo de Arte in La Sabana and concluded at the official marathon finish line in Parque Central.
At the close of the day, the 2026 San José Marathon received the Blue Flag Ecological Event award for recognition of the actions taken in waste management, the efficient use of resources, and environmental education.
The organizers expressed their gratitude for the support of athletes, sponsors, volunteers, security personnel, and the general public.
They also emphasized that the event continues to strengthen the promotion of sports, inclusion, sustainability, and healthy lifestyles in Costa Rica.
Top Winners Men’s 42K Open
- Rodgers Gesabwa (Kenya) – 2:19:45
- Francisco González Llanos (Mexico) – 2:24:36
- Ángelo Olivo (Costa Rica) – 2:34:00
Top Winners Women’s 42K Open
- Argentina Valdepeña (Mexico) – 2:50:32
- Nancy Cuito Tacusi (Peru) – 3:19:08
- Susana Guillén Mora (Costa Rica) – 3:19:21