Mercy Kwambai and Samson Lemayan emerged victorious at the 25th edition of the iconic Lewa Safari Marathon held at the scenic yet demanding Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Meru County. Battling heat, hilly terrain, and intense competition, both athletes clinched the top spots in the women’s and men’s 42km races respectively.
Kwambai, 36, and a mother of two, defended her title for a second consecutive year, clocking in at 2:47:17.
She was followed by Evaline Lagat (3:02:31) and Monica Watetu (3:20:21), who finished second and third respectively.
This marks Kwambai’s third appearance at the Lewa Marathon, her journey began with a second-place finish in the half marathon back in 2022.
“The course really pushed us, but I stayed focused thanks to strong preparation. This marathon helps sharpen my form for international races, and I’m proud of the purpose it serves in supporting local communities and conservation,” she said.
In the men’s race, Lemayan from Maralal edged out close rivals with a winning time of 2:28:35. John Musee (2:29:18) and Joseph Kariuki (2:29:36) rounded out the podium. Lemayan, who first competed in 2018, hailed the event’s growth and praised its role in conservation efforts.
“I’m honored to win this race. It’s more than a competition. It’s about giving back to the environment and the people of this region,” Lemayan noted.
In the half marathon category (21km), Michael Kamau triumphed in the men’s division with a time of 1:06:37, followed by Justine Lelitan (1:07:48) and Simon Saidimu (1:08:07).
The women’s race saw a dominant run by Mary Waithera (1:18:27), with Pauline Ngigi (1:28:21) and Susan Wanjiru (1:29:04) completing the podium.
The 10km corporate race was won by Reuben Ng’ang’a (men) and Sara Van Der Laan (women).
Prize money for winners in both the 42km and 21km races stood at KES 150,000, with second and third-place finishers earning KES 80,000 and KES 60,000 respectively.
Safaricom CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa applauded the winners and reiterated the telco’s long-standing support for the marathon.
“Lewa Safari Marathon is a cornerstone event in our calendar. It’s a celebration of resilience, purpose, and conservation. We’re proud to have walked this journey for 25 years,” he said.
This year’s edition saw over 1,400 participants from Kenya and around the globe.
Since its inception, the event has raised more than $9 million in support of wildlife conservation, community projects, and education across northern Kenya.
Lewa Conservancy CEO Mike Watson also amplified the race’s environmental impact.
“At a time when ecosystems face increasing threats, this event remains a beacon of hope, uniting people to act for wildlife, nature, and community development,” he noted.
The marathon was sponsored by Safaricom and Huawei, with supporting partners including Access Bank, ICEA Lion, Highlands, AMREF, Elewana, Safarilink, GardaWorld, Tropical Heat, and African Originals.
