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HOKA Paris Half Marathon: Kennedy Kimutai and Ftaw Zeray shine in front of 50,000 runners
Under a still-chilly March sky, Paris pulsed to the rhythm of nearly 50,000 runners from 103 nationalities during the 2026 edition of the HOKA Paris Half Marathon this Sunday. Over the 21.0975-kilometer course linking Boulevard Saint-Germain to Place de la Bastille, Kenya’s Kennedy Kimutai secured a second consecutive victory, while Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray etched her name into the race’s history with a new course record of 1:05:12. It was a morning where elite performance and the massive celebration of running blended together in the streets of the French capital—made even more symbolic by the race taking place on International Women’s Day.
A Sunday morning in March in Paris sometimes feels like a collective rehearsal. Café terraces slowly opening, tourists looking up as thousands of runners stream past, and above all that long ribbon of race bibs stretching between Boulevard Saint-Germain and Bastille. For the 2026 HOKA Paris Half Marathon, nearly 50,000 participants lined up to tackle the 21.0975 kilometers of the course—an impressive number that says plenty about the event’s growing popularity.
Over the years, this race—first launched in 1993—has become one of the most coveted half marathons in the global running scene and now stands as the largest half marathon in the world by number of participants. The field included runners from 103 different nationalities. Some arrived chasing victory, others targeting a personal best, and many simply hoping to experience their first half marathon. In fact, for nearly one-third of the field, the distance was a brand-new challenge—an adventure blending excitement, the gentle rises of Parisian streets, and legs that sometimes feel the distance around the 15-kilometer mark.
On March 8, the race also carried added meaning. Held on International Women’s Day, the event echoed the growing inclusivity of running. Along the sidewalks and within the pack, signs, roses, and messages reminded everyone that running now belongs to everyone. A quiet but visible symbol in a race where female participation continues to rise year after year.
The atmosphere followed the cadence of thousands of running shoes: cheers bouncing off Haussmann-style façades, handmade signs waving above the crowd, and the occasional public figure watching the grand parade of Parisian running. Among them was Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of sports, spotted greeting participants and celebrating the event. Up front, however, the story was unfolding at full speed.
| Kennedy Kimutai confirms his dominance
Some runners come to Paris simply to race. Others come to reign. Kenya’s Kennedy Kimutai clearly belongs in the second category. Already the winner last year, he returned to defend his title with calm authority from the very start, just after 8 a.m. Final time: 1:00:11—five seconds faster than his 2025 victory. It was still more than a minute shy of the course record set in 2023 by fellow Kenyan Roncer Kipkorir, but more than enough for Kimutai to raise his arms alone at the finish line. Behind him, the fight for the podium proved far tighter. His compatriot Timothy Misoi finished second in 1:00:39, just ahead of South Africa’s Thabang Mosiako, third in 1:00:42.
At the finish, Kimutai kept things simple. A discreet smile, breathing still heavy, he summed up his race with refreshing honesty: “I wanted to run around 59 minutes… but the pace slipped a bit. Still, I’m very happy. Winning here twice means a lot to me.”
| Isaac Kimeli’s promising half marathon debut
Another name to watch this morning was Belgian runner Isaac Kimeli, the world silver medalist in the 5,000 meters on the track. In Paris, he stepped into unknown territory: his very first half marathon. The result? A solid fifth place in 1:01:30, and the distinction of finishing as the first European across the line. The performance already places him among the top ten Belgian performers in history over the distance.
Kimeli mostly enjoyed the experience of discovery. “Everything was new for me,” he said a few minutes after finishing. “Once I passed the 10-kilometer mark, I almost had to switch off my brain and accept that there were still 11 kilometers left. This course requires good pacing, especially with the small climbs that break the rhythm. But this first experience definitely makes me want to come back stronger.” The kind of sentence that sounds a lot like a promise.
| Victor Moreau and Igor Bougnot crack the top 10
With such a deep elite field, French performances were also worth noting. The best French runner of the day was Victor Moreau, a marketing professional during the week and ninth overall this Sunday in 1:03:14, smashing his previous personal best of 1:04:28. It was a well-controlled race within a dense pack in the heart of a highly competitive international field. Igor Bougnot also secured a top-10 finish, placing tenth in 1:03:16.
| Ftaw Zeray lights up the race with a record
In the women’s race, the morning took on another dimension entirely. Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray delivered a spectacular performance, winning in 1:05:12 and setting a new course record. Her time erased the previous mark of 1:06:01, set in 2023 by Kenyan runner Sheila Chepkurui. Zeray quickly found herself alone at the front, racing against the clock. Behind her, Kenya’s Mercy Chepwogen finished second in 1:06:29, while Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat took third in 1:06:31.
At the finish line, the Ethiopian champion beamed with joy: “Paris has incredible energy. I felt the crowd the whole way. When I realized the record was possible, I tried to keep the speed until the end. Breaking a record here, in such a big race, brings a lot of happiness.” Almost a perfect race. Among the French women, Katia Raoult was the top national finisher, securing 10th place in 1:15:33.
| For one morning, Paris becomes the world capital of the half marathon
A half marathon is never just about the top ten finishers. Across the streets of the capital, tens of thousands of personal stories unfolded at the same time—first races, personal bests, emotional finishes with arms raised, and sometimes a few grimaces while tackling the final meters.
That’s the magic of the HOKA Paris Half Marathon. It blends a world-class elite field with a massive, joyful running festival open to everyone. Over the years, the race has achieved something simple yet powerful: turning Paris into the world capital of the half marathon for one morning. And while Kennedy Kimutai celebrated a second straight victory and Ftaw Zeray shattered the course record, 50,000 runners kept moving forward toward the same finish line—the pride of crossing it.
✔ Full results of the 2026 HOKA Paris Half Marathon
Dorian VUILLET
Journalist
