Elite wheelchair field set for 2026 Cape Town Marathon as major status looms

The 2026 edition of the Cape Town Marathon is set to host a premier field of wheelchair racers this May, with 13 men and 9 women confirmed for the starting line.

Among the international elite travelling to South Africa is Swiss powerhouse Manuela Schär. Having secured victories in every current World Marathon Major, Schär is looking to add a Cape Town title to her storied career. With a personal best of 1:28:17 set in 2017, she enters the race as the fastest athlete in the field.

However, the competition remains stiff. Schär will face challenges from:

Christie Dawes (USA): The 2023 runner-up, who is motivated to finish on a high in her final professional race before retirement.

Tsubasa Nakamine (Japan): Currently in peak form, Nakamine has posted a season-best of 1:41:20, nearly a minute faster than Schär’s recent 1:42:17.

Deng Yirun (China): A formidable contender rounding out the elite women’s pack.

In the men’s division, British icon David Weir will lead the charge. One of the most celebrated Para athletes in history, Weir’s career spans three decades, beginning with his Paralympic debut at Atlanta 1996. He boasts ten Paralympic medals, including six golds.

The chase pack features several athletes who have broken the sub-1:30 barrier in the past year:

Sho Watanabe (Japan): 1:24:00

Jetze Plat (Netherlands): 1:24:28

Geert Schipper (Netherlands): 1:26:47

Hiroki Nishida (Japan): Sub-1:30 personal best.

Local fans will be rooting for South Africa’s Tiaan Bosch, who aims to lower his career-best time of 1:33:17 on home soil.

The 2026 race will see more than 27,000 runners take to the "super-fast" course. Many participants are incentivised by the potential to earn an Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) finisher’s star.

Cape Town is currently a candidate for the prestigious AbbottWMM circuit. The AbbottWMM team has announced that 2026 finishers will receive provisional stars. These will be officially recognised if the event passes its second evaluation this year, which would make Cape Town the first World Marathon Major on the African continent.

Reflecting the event's growing prestige, the wheelchair prize purse has seen a significant 35% increase. The total pool has climbed from R612,000 to R833,000.

Updated Payout Structure:

1st Place: $10,000 (up from $8,000)

2nd Place: $5,500 (up from $4,000)

3rd Place: $4,500 (up from $3,000)