Beshadu Bekele claimed a historic victory in the women’s marathon at the prestigious Jakarta Running Festival

Beshadu Bekele claimed a historic and breathtaking victory in the women’s marathon at the prestigious myBCA Jakarta Running Festival (JRF) 2026. Held on Sunday, October 25, 2026, the elite road race lived up to its billing, delivering an unforgettable, nail-biting finish under the humid pre-dawn skies of the Indonesian capital.

The Ethiopian distance running specialist crossed the finish line in 2:46:22 hours, closely holding off an intense, final-meter surge from Kenya’s Kellen Waithira, who finished a mere five seconds behind in 2:46:27 hours. Trailing the leading duo to complete the podium was another formidable Kenyan competitor, Truphena Chepchirchir, who registered a solid third-place time of 2:53:31 hours.

The race kicked off at 4:00 AM local time at the iconic Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) sports complex, utilizing the early morning relative coolness to combat Jakarta’s notorious tropical humidity. From the crack of the starter’s pistol, the dynamic of the elite women’s field was defined by sharp tactical awareness and patience.

A tight pack formed early on, navigating the wide avenues of the sterilized city course. The early stretches saw the elite runners maintaining a controlled, rhythmic tempo, heavily prioritizing early hydration at the event’s regular water stations to safeguard against extreme physical fatigue later in the morning.

By the midpoint of the 42.195-kilometer course, the race transformed into a heavy-hitting game of endurance between the East African powerhouses. Bekele, showing tremendous mental fortitude, shared the front running duties with Waithira. The pair gradually built a gap between themselves and the rest of the field, leaving the remaining pack to battle for the final spot on the podium.

As the sun began to rise over Jakarta, the battle for the top spot intensified. Between kilometers 35 and 40—traditionally known by marathoners as hitting “the wall”—the tactical sparring evolved into an outright footrace. Bekele and Waithira exchanged surges, refusing to give each other an inch of breathing room.

Coming down the home stretch back toward the thunderous cheering crowds of the GBK stadium, it became a pure sprint. Waithira launched a devastating final kick, trying to exploit any lingering fatigue in her rival’s stride. However, Bekele dug deep, finding an extra gear in the final few hundred meters.

With the ultimate showcase of grit and raw speed, Bekele crossed the timing mats just five seconds ahead of Waithira. The incredibly narrow margin highlighted the sheer competitiveness of the 2026 festival, marking it as one of the closest full marathon finishes in the event’s history. Behind them, Truphena Chepchirchir showed great resolve, cruising through the final stages of the race completely isolated to securely clock her third-place podium finish under the 3-hour mark.

Ina Lydia was the fastest Indonesian in the course, finishing in 3:09.44 hours.

The sensational performances by Bekele, Waithira, and Chepchirchir further cement the Jakarta Running Festival as a premier destination on the international athletics calendar. Organizers earned widespread praise from the international field for providing a highly professional, World Athletics Gold Label standard environment, complete with fully closed roads and optimized race logistics.

The success of the women’s marathon event, mirrored by an equally thrilling half-marathon showcase won by Kenya’s Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi the day prior, highlights the skyrocketing popularity of distance running throughout Indonesia. For the champion Beshadu Bekele, her display of grit and tactical perfection in the streets of Jakarta will long be remembered by the thousands of spectators who lined the course to witness history in the making.