Laban Cheruiyot won the men’s Swedbank Vilnius Marathon

Kenya’s runner Laban Cheruiyot won the gold medal in the men’s elite division at the Swedbank Vilnius Marathon, securing a tactical victory on September 13, 2026, in Lithuania. Navigating a newly formatted course through the historical streets of the Baltic capital, Cheruiyot crossed the finish line at Cathedral Square in a time of 2:19:27 hours. He narrowly defeated his countryman Felix Kibitok, who finished second just five seconds later in 2:19:32 hours. Hungary’s László Tarnai claimed the bronze medal, rounding out the podium in 2:25:51 hours.

The prestigious World Athletics Label Road Race served as the 23rd edition of Lithuania’s largest annual running celebration. The event brought together thousands of mass participants alongside a highly competitive international elite field to tackle the classic 42.195-kilometer distance.

The 2026 edition introduced a fundamental structural shift to the Vilnius course map. Organizers transitioned the main marathon distance onto a more compact, two-loop configuration consisting of two identical 21.098-kilometer sections. This strategic update was designed to significantly reduce the overall elevation changes, maximize the density of spectators, and provide dense shade across sections of the Valakampiai and Vingis parks.

The race got underway at 8:30 AM alongside the half-marathon field, creating a massive river of runners departing from Cathedral Square. A tight, high-tempo lead pack quickly formed at the front, anchored by the Kenyan tandem of Cheruiyot and Kibitok. They established an aggressive, rhythmic pace that instantly isolated them from the rest of the international field, passing through the historic buildings of the UNESCO-listed Old Town with clear separation.

As the miles accumulated across the second lap, the competitive field fractured completely. Tarnai found himself locked into a lonely but highly consistent third-place rhythm, maintaining a comfortable safety cushion ahead of the domestic chasing group.

Up at the front, Cheruiyot and Kibitok matched each other stride for stride, pushing their aerobic thresholds as they maneuvered the paved riverside segments. Neither athlete was willing to concede ground, turning the final five kilometers into a grueling war of attrition.

It wasn’t until the final kilometer stretch—highlighted by the local sprint segments—that Cheruiyot launched his decisive tactical kick. Forging a slim, five-second advantage on the final approach, he held his form flawlessly to secure the global crown.

A major point of celebration for the local spectators arrived via Justinas Čekanauskas, who finished fourth overall in 2:28:13 hours. By leading the domestic field across the line, Čekanauskas officially captured the coveted Lithuanian Marathon Championship title, which was contested concurrently within the race. He was followed across the finish line by Great Britain’s Oliver Cockerill, who completed the top five standings with a strong, solitary time of 2:36:38 hours.