Sandra Felis, Kyumbe Munguti headline 2026 Belgut Half Marathon

More than 5,000 runners are expected in Kericho County on Sunday for the 2026 Belgut Half Marathon, with Sandra Felis Chebet and Kyumbe Munguti heading the elite field. The main race covers 21km and offers a top prize of Sh500,000 in both the men’s and women’s categories.

Felis and Munguti will be among the leading contenders on a course that runs through Belgut’s tea-growing highlands. They face competition from Diana Chekemoi, Miriam Chebet, Edwin Bett and Leonard Barsoton as the race seeks to build on last year’s competition.

Nicholas Kimeli won the men’s 21km race in the previous edition, finishing ahead of Justus Kiprop of Iten, while Wesley Yego was third. Aisha Cheptengeny took the women’s title, setting up a strong returning-champion reference point for this year’s field.

Prize money in the half marathon will be paid through 10th place in both categories. The programme also includes a 10km race, whose winner will receive Sh100,000, with Sh75,000 and Sh50,000 going to the next two finishers, as well as a 5km community fun run.

The event was established by Belgut Member of Parliament Nelson Koech, who also serves as its patron. Its proceeds will support bursaries and scholarships for bright students who are needy, orphaned or vulnerable, including assistance linked to Starehe Boys’ and Girls’ Centre and other learners in the constituency.

Several prominent Kenyan athletes are expected to attend as guests, including Faith Kipyegon, Eliud Kipchoge, Sheila Chepkurui, Timothy Cheruiyot, Mercy Cherono and Ferguson Rotich. The race therefore combines the elite 21km contest with wider community participation and an education-focused fundraising purpose.