Shadrack Nyakoe
Peter Mwangi and Fridah Ndida claimed top honours in the 21km warm-up race for the 22nd Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, held at Parklands Sports Club in Nairobi. The event attracted more than 1,500 participants, setting the tone for this year’s highly anticipated marathon.
Mwangi clocked 65 minutes to win the men’s race, while Ndida dominated the women’s category in 77 minutes.
“Winning today has given me confidence as I prepare for the main race in October. The course was competitive, and I am happy with my performance. I believe this momentum will carry me into the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, where I hope to achieve an even better result,” said Mwangi after his victory.
The warm-up comes ahead of the 22nd edition of the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, set for October 26, 2025, at Uhuru Gardens. Organisers expect over 30,000 participants, with more than 18,000 already registered ahead of the October 10 deadline. At least 60 elite athletes have confirmed their participation across different categories, including the 42km full marathon, 21km half marathon, 10km race, and 21km wheelchair race.
“The strong turnout today from both runners and sponsors demonstrates the growing energy around this year’s marathon. It is encouraging to see how individuals and corporates are rallying behind the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, not just as a sporting event, but as a platform that empowers communities through initiatives like Futuremakers,” said David Mwindi, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC).
The 2025 marathon aims to raise KES 70 million towards Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the bank’s global initiative supporting young people—especially women and persons with disabilities—through education, employability, and entrepreneurship. Last year, the marathon raised KES 48 million.
Upcoming activities before the main event include another warm-up run at Karura Forest, a medical camp in Kibera, and a satellite run in Mombasa.
To enhance race-day experience, organisers have introduced several improvements: an exclusive finish-line channel for elite 42km runners, separate finish zones for the 21km and 10km races, a 30% larger walk-off area for better flow and safety, expanded medal and hydration teams, and a new photo-finish zone for high-quality race memories.
