In the 2026 Lisbon Half Marathon, of the top 10 men and women, just one athlete was not African. In the women’s race, Kenyan Dolphine Byaboke Omare won in the time of 1:07:25. Taking second was fellow Kenyan Margret Gati Chacha in 1:08:14. Following her in was Ethiopian Kuftu Tahir Dadiso in 1:09:04. Four athletes were Kenyan, five Ethiopian, and placing ninth was Portuguese athlete Salomé Rocha, finishing in 1:14:09.
Two years ago, Rocha set her personal best of 1:11:42 during the Rome European Half Marathon Championships. She finished in 23rd place.
In 2025, Omare set her best at 1:06:05 in Marugame, Japan.
In the men’s race, Zerihun Adugna Abdeta of Ethiopia won in 1:02:01. Four seconds and six seconds later, Titus Musau and Brian Kibet Kogo followed. They are from Uganda and Kenya, respectively. All of the first 10 finishers are African. Four from Ethiopia, three from Kenya, and one each from Tanzania, Eritrea, and Uganda.
For the 23-year-old Abdeta, Lisbon is a new lifetime personal best.
The first Portuguese finisher in the men’s race was Miquel Borges, who finished 11th in 1:05:25. His best was last year in Barcelona, where he clocked a 1:01:54 performance.
| Pos | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dolphine Nyaboke Omare | KEN | 1:07:25 |
| 2 | Margret Gati Chacha | KEN | 1:08:14 |
| 3 | Kuftu Tahir Dadiso | ETH | 1:09:04 |
| 4 | Debash Kelali Desta | ETH | 1:09:25 |
| 5 | Fentaye Adane Chane | ETH | 1:09:48 |
| 6 | Monica Jeptarus | KEN | 1:11:30 |
| 7 | Megertu Midekisa Buli | ETH | 1:12:21 |
| 8 | Aschal Shitu Birhan | ETH | 1:13:52 |
| 9 | Salomé Rocha | POR | 1:14:09 |
| 10 | Damaris Chepkemoi Towett | KEN | 1:14:20 |
TOP RESULTS MEN’S HALF MARATHON
| Pos | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zerihun Adugna Abdeta | ETH | 1:02:01 |
| 2 | Titus Musau | UGA | 1:02:05 |
| 3 | Brian Kibet Kogo | KEN | 1:02:07 |
| 4 | Abel Bekele Alemu | ETH | 1:02:09 |
| 5 | Tsegay Ayalew | ETH | 1:02:21 |
| 6 | Merhawi Mebrahtu | ERI | 1:02:29 |
| 7 | Protasi Gabriel Mauja | TAN | 1:02:44 |
| 8 | Gideon Rotich | KEN | 1:02:54 |
| 9 | Meshack Kipchirchir | KEN | 1:03:34 |
| 10 | Leta Abebe Desis | ETH | 1:05:04 |
There are several half-marathon races in Lisbons. These include the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon (Meia Maratona de Lisboa), which is held annually in the spring (such as March). It is a massive, well-known race part of the international SuperHalfs Series. It typically starts across the iconic Ponte 25 de Abril bridge with over 30,000 runners.
Hyundai Half Marathon (held with the Lisbon Marathon). This is the race featured in this article. The race starts near the Vasco da Gama bridge and finishes at the Praça do Comércio.
Also, Generali Tranquilidade Discoveries Half Marathon (Meia Maratona dos Descobrimentos). This race is held in late autumn/winter (such as November/December), highlighting a scenic course through the historic areas of the capital.
Finally, there is the Meia Maratona da Marginal, which is another regional half-marathon event held along the coastal road near Lisbon (scheduled in November).
