Yatane Dusha shatters course record to win women’s 2026 Athens Marathon

Ethiopia’s Yatane Dusha delivered a historic performance on Sunday, November 8, winning the 43rd edition of the Athens Marathon. The Authentic in a stunning 2:30:04. Competing in the first marathon of her career, the 20-year-old not only claimed victory on one of road running’s most demanding courses but also obliterated a 16-year-old course record. Her winning mark shaved more than a minute off the previous record of 2:31:06, which had stood since Lithuania’s Rasa Drazdauskaite set it in 2010.

The race unfolded as a thrilling tactical duel between two young Ethiopian talents. Dusha and her compatriot, 20-year-old Tsiyon Abebe, separated themselves from the rest of the elite field shortly after the halfway point. The pair pushed each other relentlessly up the punishing climbs from Marathon to the iconic finish inside the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. Their battle was only decided in the final kilometer, where Dusha found an extra gear to pull away for the win. Abebe crossed the finish line just 25 seconds later in 2:30:29, securing a personal best and an Ethiopian one-two finish while also running well under the old course record.

“I’m very happy because this was the first marathon of my career, and I chose Athens for my debut,” Dusha said after the race. “I wanted to do it here because I knew it was a challenging race. From the moment I started, I had a feeling I was going to win, and I’m delighted that everything came together for such a good result.” Runner-up Abebe echoed that enthusiasm, stating she was thrilled with her time and already plans to return next year to improve further.

Behind the Ethiopian duo, American distance runner Jane Bareikis claimed the final spot on the podium. Bareikis ran a disciplined and resilient race to finish third in 2:32:59, marking an impressive achievement in what was her fourth marathon of the 2026 season. She comfortably held off a late charge from seasoned Ethiopian veteran Atsede Bayisa, who finished just 11 seconds behind Bareikis in fourth place with a time of 2:33:10. Rounding out the top five was Kenya’s Millicent Kibet, who clocked 2:35:10 after holding off a fierce late surge from the top Greek contender.

While international athletes dominated the overall podium, the home crowd in the Panathenaic Stadium had plenty to celebrate as Greek runners claimed five of the top ten spots. Leading the domestic charge was two-time defending champion Stamatia Noula, who finished sixth overall in 2:35:13—just three seconds behind Kibet. Although her streak of consecutive overall victories came to an end, Noula’s performance was historic in its own right, as she recorded the fastest time ever run by a Greek woman on the authentic Athens course.

Close behind Noula was fellow Greek athlete Athanasia Kokkorou, who captured seventh place overall and second among domestic runners in 2:36:31. The remaining spots in the top ten belonged entirely to Greek competitors, highlighting the depth of national talent on display. Dafni-Eftychia-Tereza Lavasa secured eighth place in 2:45:06, followed by Georgia Kanouta in ninth at 2:45:40, and Xenia Katsimantou, who rounded out the top ten in 2:46:02.

Final standings at women’s 2026 Athens Marathon
1. Yatane Dusha (ETH) – 2:30:04 hours
2. Tsiyon Abebe (ETH) – 2:30:29 hours
3. Jane Bareikis (USA) – 2:32:59 hours
4. Atsede Bayisa (ETH) – 2:33:10 hours
5. Millicent Kibet (KEN) – 2:35:10 hours
6. Stamatia Noula (GRE) – 2:35:13 hours
7. Athanasia Kokkorou (GRE) – 2:36:31 hours
8. Dafni-Eftychia-Tereza Lavasa (GRE) – 2:45:06 hours
9. Georgia Kanouta (GRE) – 2:45:40 hours
10. Xenia Katsimantou (GRE) – 2:46:02 hours

Combined with Manazot Siyum’s course-record victory of 2:10:03 in the men’s race, the 2026 Athens Marathon will be remembered as one of the fastest and most competitive editions in the event’s storied history. For Dusha, conquering the hilly, historic route in her debut signals the arrival of a major new force in global marathoning.