Great South Run and Amsterdam Marathon 2026 Results: What Happened

The Great South Run and Amsterdam Marathon 2026 results are in. Kadar Omar won the Great South Run in Portsmouth in 47:26 and Hannah Irwin won the women's race in 53:34, while in Amsterdam Lemi Berhanu won the marathon in 2:03:33 and Buze Diriba set a women's course record of 2:16:12. Both races took place on Sunday 18 October 2026, and between them they gave us a three-second finish, a course record in the rain and a near miss on another.

If you read our preview of the weekend's big races, this is how it all turned out. Below you will find the podiums, how each race unfolded, the conditions and what everyday runners can take into their own training. Edge is not affiliated with the AJ Bell Great South Run, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon or their organisers.

What happened at the 2026 Great South Run?

The AJ Bell Great South Run is a 10-mile road race through Portsmouth and along the Southsea seafront, and this year it once again hosted the UK Athletics 10-Mile Championships. The organisers called it the biggest staging yet, with around 23,500 runners in the 10-mile race and around 26,000 across the weekend, including the Great South 5K on Saturday. They also said more than 75,000 spectators turned out and that runners raised around £4 million for charity. The race was part of Portsmouth's celebrations of 100 years as a city, and finishers received a special commemorative medal.

Conditions were kind. The BBC described the day as fresh and sunny, a welcome change after a wet and windy race in 2025 and the cancellation of the 2024 event because of high winds.

How did Kadar Omar win the men's race?

Omar, of Birchfield Harriers, won his first Great South Run title in 47:26, finishing 24 seconds clear of two-time Olympian Andy Butchart (Central AC, 47:50), who was racing in Portsmouth for the first time. Alex Durant of City of Sheffield and Dearne AC was third in 48:00. Omar arrived in form. Last month he won the UK half marathon title at the Big Half in London in 1:01:51, according to race reports.

His story is a remarkable one. Race reports say he left Ethiopia at 13, spent time in a refugee camp in Kenya and ran the 5000m for the Refugee Team at the 2017 World Championships in London. He is now a British citizen, and in the space of a few weeks he has won UK titles over the half marathon and 10 miles.

To put his pace in context, 47:26 for 10 miles works out at roughly 4:45 per mile, or about 2:57 per kilometre, held for more than 16km. The men's course record is still 45:15, set by Kenya's Joseph Ebuya in 2010.

How did Hannah Irwin win the women's race?

The women's race was the closer of the two. The organisers described it as a close fight for most of the course, and it came down to Irwin, of Cambridge and Coleridge AC, and defending champion Verity Ockenden of Swansea Harriers. Irwin edged clear to win in 53:34, just three seconds ahead of Ockenden in 53:37. Daisy Glover of Framlingham Flyers took third in 54:53.

Irwin already holds the Northern Ireland records for 10km and the half marathon, according to race reports, and now adds a UK 10-mile title. Ockenden can take plenty from the day too. Her 53:37 was three minutes quicker than the 56:37 she ran to win in wet, windy weather last year, a neat example of how much conditions can change a finishing time. Eilish McColgan's women's course record of 50:43 from 2021, which the organisers note is also a European best for 10 miles, still stands.

In the wheelchair race, Dale Muffett was the first wheelchair racer to finish, in 51:12, according to the BBC.

Who made the podium at the Great South Run?

Times as published by the organisers on 18 October 2026. Accurate at the time of writing.

What happened at the 2026 Amsterdam Marathon?

The TCS Amsterdam Marathon is known for its flat, fast course and its finish inside the Olympic Stadium, and it is a popular autumn choice for UK runners. The organisers said 32,000 runners took part in the marathon, with another 15,000 in the half marathon later in the day, and around 65,000 people in action across the weekend.

The weather was the big talking point. The races were run in wet, cold conditions, according to the organisers and Dutch media. Even so, both elite races were remarkably fast.

How did Buze Diriba break the Amsterdam course record?

For much of the women's race, four Ethiopian runners ran together at the front: Diriba, defending champion Aynalem Desta, Mestawut Fikir and Meseret Belete. They passed halfway in 1:08:34 and 30km in 1:37:23, after which Fikir began to drop back. Diriba waited until the 40km mark in the Vondelpark before making her move, and once she went, nobody could follow.

She crossed the line in 2:16:12, around 40 seconds inside Yalemzerf Yehualaw's course record of 2:16:52 from 2024 and 54 seconds clear of Desta (2:17:06), with Belete third. It was a huge personal best too, taking 3:22 off her previous best of 2:19:34. What stands out for club runners is how she ran it. Her second half was nearly a minute quicker than her first, in the rain, on her Amsterdam debut. Afterwards she said this was one of her first flat marathons, after racing mostly on courses with more climbing.

How did Lemi Berhanu win the men's race?

The men's race followed a similar pattern. A big lead group went through halfway behind the pacemakers in 1:02:24. Defending champion Geofry Kipchumba, who set the course record of 2:03:30 last year, was eight seconds behind the leaders at halfway and dropped out shortly after. When the pacemakers stepped off at 30km, Kenya's Justus Kangogo took over at the front and the group began to break up.

By 40km it was a two-man race between Berhanu, the 2016 Boston Marathon champion, and Kenya's Nicholas Kipkorir, who was running only his second marathon. Kipkorir pushed hard, but Berhanu stayed calm, made his decisive move around the Vondelpark and won by six seconds in 2:03:33, just three seconds outside Kipchumba's record. Patrick Mosin was third in 2:03:58. The organisers said it was the first time all three men on the Amsterdam podium had run under 2:04, and the top eight all finished inside 2:05, which is rare in any marathon.

Berhanu, 32, said afterwards that he had “always been strong in tough conditions”, and the numbers back him up. His second half of 1:01:09 was more than a minute faster than the halfway split. It was his third appearance in Amsterdam and his first win there.

Who made the podium in Amsterdam?

Times as published by World Athletics and the organisers on 18 October 2026. The organisers' own report lists Meseret Belete's time as 2:18:02. Accurate at the time of writing.

How did the British runners get on in Amsterdam?

In Amsterdam, Marc Scott was the first British man home, 27th in 2:10:14, according to Athletics Weekly. That is more than a minute quicker than the 2:11:19 he ran on his marathon debut in London in 2024. Scott also has a Portsmouth connection, having won the Great South Run in 2019.

What can everyday runners learn from both races?

You do not need to run under three minutes per kilometre for these lessons to apply. The same things that decided the elite races decide most club runners' races too.

• Be patient early. Both Amsterdam winners ran faster second halves, and Diriba waited until 40km to attack. For most of us, the first few kilometres of any race should feel almost too easy. Aim for even pacing or a slightly faster second half, and check your splits every 5km rather than every few hundred metres.
• Judge your run by the conditions, not just the clock. Ockenden ran three minutes faster in a fresh, sunny Portsmouth than in last year's wind and rain. In Amsterdam, the fastest Dutch woman, Mikky Keetels, set a personal best but said she felt she could have gone faster in better weather. On a wet, windy or warm day, adjust your target and run to effort.
• Dress for the rain, not the start line. Wet and cold is a tricky mix. A cheap throwaway top or a bin bag for the start, a cap to keep rain off your face, anti-chafe balm and a dry change of clothes in your bag all help. Avoid brand-new kit on race day.
• Practise finishing strongly. Irwin won by three seconds after a close race for most of the 10 miles. A few relaxed strides after your easy runs, or the last few minutes of a long run at goal pace, can help you find another gear when you are tired.
• Pick a course that suits your goal. Diriba linked part of her speed to Amsterdam being one of her first flat marathons. If a personal best is the target, a flat course in cool weather gives you the best chance. If you just want a great day out, a hillier or more scenic race may suit you better.

What should you do in the week after the race?

If you ran in Portsmouth or Amsterdam, congratulations. Here is a simple guide to the next few days.

• Days 1 to 3: walk, sleep well, eat plenty and keep moving gently. Stiff, heavy legs are normal, especially after a marathon.
• After 10 miles: many runners feel ready for a short, easy jog within a few days. Keep everything easy for the rest of the week.
• After a marathon: stick to walking, easy cycling or swimming for the first week, then add short, easy runs. Give yourself two to three weeks before any hard sessions.
• Any sharp or worsening pain: rest it and see a physio rather than running through it.

Thinking about Portsmouth or Amsterdam in 2027?

The Great South Run returns on Sunday 17 October 2027, and the organisers say entries are already open, with an early-bird price for the first 1,000 places. The next TCS Amsterdam Marathon is on Sunday 31 October 2027, according to its organisers, about two weeks later in the calendar than this year.

For a full build-up to Portsmouth, including training sessions and course tips, read our Great South Run complete training and race guide. If an autumn marathon abroad is on your list, our Berlin Marathon 2026 results debrief has more on pacing, warm-weather racing and fuelling for 42.2km.

How can Edge help you train for your next race?

Edge treats running, strength, HIIT and mobility as one plan, so your speed sessions, long runs and gym work fit together rather than competing for your energy. With Edge Pro, you get a fully personalised plan for your next 10-mile race or marathon, ready within 24 hours, and you can message a real coach anytime about pacing, race-day kit or a niggle that will not settle.

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This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.