The men’s race
In the men’s race, both the winner, Eritrean Habtom Samuel, with his 30:53 performance, and runner-up Kenyan Edwin Kurgat, who clocked 31:04, broke the old course record for the 7-mile (11.26 km) race. The old course record of 31:08 was run by Kenyan Wesley Kiptoo from the 2023 running as well as Gilbert Okari in 2004.
By mile five, a clear two had broken away, with Samuel and Kurgat battling away. Samuel looked over his shoulder several times, but he was alone.
Samuel’s 30:53 also marks him as the first person to break 31 minutes.
The American men also ran well. Zouhair Talbi, the Boston Marathon American course record holder, and Conner Mantz, the American record holder in the half marathon and marathon, ran the majority of the race side by side. In the end, it was Talbi who edged Mantz for top American honours.
Finishing third and setting a new American course record in 31:17.
It was his highest finish in Falmouth, after finishing fifth last year. Mantz followed closely behind, running 31:19, also finishing faster than the previous American course record.
Perfect conditions were in place for the historic 54th annual Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, Aug. 16. Course records and American course records fell in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
It was the first-time Falmouth finishers who won in Samuel and Pamela Kosgei of Kenya.
The women’s race
The women got off to a fast start, racing at 3:05 per km through 5K. The lead group included eight athletes, including Americans Emma Grace Hurley, Jess McClain, Carrie Ellwood, Annie Rodenfels, and Elise Cranny, and Kenyans Everlyn Kemboi, Pamela Kosgei, and Mercy Chelangat.
The pace was dropped after 5K, and then there were six.
The women got below 3:00 pace at mile five and 3:50 at mile six. Kemboi, Kosgei, and McClain were left to compete over the closing stages. As the athletes descended the final hill into the finish, McClain made a push for the win, but Kosgei, the 2026 NCAA champion in the 5K and 10K, held her off.
Kosgei took the race in 35:25.
Wheelchair
Miguel Jimenez Vergara and Tatyana McFadden, both from the US, defended their 2025 titles in the wheelchair events.
Vergara got off to a quick start and built a big lead by 5K. He continued to push over the hills in the second half of the race to win in 24:25. He led an American sweep, with four-time NCAA champion and newly crowned U.S. Para T54 100m champion Evan Correll placing second in 25:32, followed by Valera Jacob Allen in third.
Falmouth Top 10 mile results
Men
- Luke Houser — 3:51.42
- Drew Hunter — 3:51.72
- Foster Malleck — 3:51.88
- Morgan Beadlescomb — 3:53.12
- Kasey Knevelbaard — 3:53.41
- Austen Dalquist — 3:54.66
- Davis Bove — 3:54.67
- Aidan Ryan — 3:54.81
- Will Coogan — 3:55.00
- Jack Huber — 4:03.21
- Caleb Easton — 4:09.03
Women
- Heather MacLean — 4:25.20
- McKenna Keegan — 4:28.72
- Carina Viljoen — 4:29.55
- Maddie Boreman — 4:29.82
- Alex Carlson — 4:30.00
- Kate Mitchell — 4:30.54
- Dani Jones — 4:31.17
- Kimberly May — 4:32.07
- Taryn Parks — 4:32.55
- Sam Bush — 4:37.25
- Chloe Scrimgeour — 4:39.07
Top-10, 7-mile results
Men
- Habtom Samuel — 30:53
- Edwin Kurgat — 31:04
- Zouhair Talbi — 31:17
- Conner Mantz — 31:19
- Wesley Kiptoo — 32:00
- Hillary Bor — 32:01
- Casey Clinger — 32:02
- Victor Shitsama — 32:03
- Amon Kemboi — 32:14
- Morgan Beadlescomb — 32:19
Women
- Pamela Kosgei — 35:25
- Jessica McClain — 35:25
- Everlyn Kemboi — 35:34
- Emma Grace Hurley — 35:36
- Mercy Chelangat — 35:55
- Carrie Ellwood — 35:56
- Elise Cranny — 36:23
- Annie Rodenfels — 36:48
- Megan Sailor — 37:26
- Carina Viljoen — 37:43
