Philemon Kiriago wins a third Sierre-Zinal in 2:26:24; Madalina Florea takes her first
Kiriago broke Patrick Kipngeno on the descent to Zinal for a Kenyan sweep of the podium; Florea held off defending champion Caroline Kimutai by 46 seconds.
Photograph: Philemon Ombogo Kiriago on the final descent to Zinal at the 2026 Sierre-Zinal, by Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhilemon Ombogo Kiriago of Kenya won the 53rd Sierre-Zinal on Saturday in 2:26:24, his third win after 2023 and 2025. Madalina Florea of Romania won the women's race in 2:55:44, her first title here after third place in 2024. The race was a round of the WMRA World Cup.
The course is 31 km. It leaves Sierre at 560 m and climbs to 2,424 m over the first 24 km, then drops 7 km into Zinal. Both races were decided on that drop. Kiriago and his compatriot Patrick Kipngeno traded the lead on the climb, where Britain's European uphill champion Jacob Adkin had led early, and Kiriago went clear on the descent to win by 32 seconds. Michael Selelo Saoli made it three Kenyans on the podium in 2:29:36, with Adkin fourth in 2:30:49 and Kevin Kibett fifth.
Florea also made her move going down. Caroline Jepkoech Kimutai, the defending champion, passed several runners on the descent but could not close the last 46 seconds, finishing in 2:56:30. Morven Goodrum of Britain was third in 2:57:12 in her first Sierre-Zinal, ahead of Oria Liaci and Nienke Brinkman.
Twenty-four kilometres of climbing to earn seven of falling. Sierre-Zinal is still won by whoever has legs left for the loose stuff at the end.
Sources: World Athletics.
