NEWCASTLE, England — Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei and USA’s Zouhair Talbi won the 2026 Great North Run titles on Sunday, September 13. The race also saw British favorite Eilish McColgan withdraw early because of a foot injury.
Kosgei pulled away from the start and won the women’s crown, clocking in at 1 hour, 6 minutes, 15 seconds. The Olympic silver medalist and former London Marathon winner ran much of the 13.1-mile course alone and finished 2 minutes, 4 seconds ahead of countrywoman Sheila Chepkirui, the defending champion. Ethiopia’s Melknat Wudu was third in 1:09:37, while the top British finisher was Amy-Eloise Neale in fifth place with a time of 1:10:27.
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Annabel Gummow finished seventh, Nancy Scott eighth and Amelia Quirk ninth, rounding out the top 10 finishers for the hosts.
The winning time posted by Kosgei was outside her course record of 1:04:28, but the Kenyan was in control throughout after McColgan’s anticipated challenge ended early.
In the men’s race, American Zouhair Talbi won in 59:47, holding off Kenya’s Alex Mutiso Alex (1:00:01) by 14 seconds. Japan’s Yohei Ikeda took third in 1:00:40, followed by Casey Clinger of the United States in fifth with 1:01:36.
Marc Scott led the British men in eighth place in 1:02:10. Joe Hudson was ninth in 1:02:22, while Andrew Butchart placed 11th in 1:02:58.
The Great North Run is staged over the half-marathon distance between Newcastle and South Shields in northeast England.
Brigid Kosgei wins the 2026 Great North Run in 1:06:15 as Eilish McColgan withdraws injured; Zouhair Talbi takes the men’s race in 59:47.
2026 Great North Run Results
Women’s half marathon: 1. Brigid Kosgei, Kenya, 1:06:15; 2. Sheila Chepkirui, Kenya, 1:08:19; 3. Melknat Wudu, Ethiopia, 1:09:37; 4. Honami Maeda, Japan, 1:09:43; 5. Amy-Eloise Neale, Great Britain, 1:10:27; 6. Natosha Rogers, United States, 1:11:44; 7. Annabel Gummow, Great Britain, 1:12:37; 8. Nancy Scott, Great Britain, 1:12:51; 9. Amelia Quirk, Great Britain, 1:13:09; 10. Rebecca Weston, Great Britain, 1:13:51; 11. Shiori Zama, Japan, 1:14:46; 12. Rio Einaga, Japan, 1:15:20; 13. Evie Warren, Great Britain, 1:16:37; 14. Lucy Morrison, Great Britain, 1:17:26; 15. Claire Frankland, Great Britain, 1:17:42; 16. Grace Tindall, Great Britain, 1:18:11; 17. Hannah Lewis, Great Britain, 1:18:24; 18. Christa Cain, Great Britain, 1:18:28; 19. Freya Ross, Great Britain, 1:18:33; 20. Mimi Corden-Lloyd, Great Britain, 1:19:03.
Men’s half marathon: 1. Zouhair Talbi, United States, 59:47; 2. Alex Mutiso Alex, Kenya, 1:00:01; 3. Yohei Ikeda, Japan, 1:00:40; 4. Casey Clinger, United States, 1:01:36; 5. Kosei Matsunami, Japan, 1:01:59; 6. Shouya Yonei, Japan, 1:02:01; 7. Clayton Young, United States, 1:02:04; 8. Marc Scott, Great Britain, 1:02:10; 9. Joe Hudson, Great Britain, 1:02:22; 10. Yuki Takei, Japan, 1:02:50; 11. Andrew Butchart, Great Britain, 1:02:58; 12. Taiga Hirayama, Japan, 1:03:16; 13. Hugh Armstrong, Ireland, 1:03:37; 14. Chris Coulson, Great Britain, 1:03:47; 15. Ayumu Kobayashi, Japan, 1:03:55; 16. Calum Johnson, Great Britain, 1:04:00; 17. Santiago Catrofe, Uruguay, 1:04:15; 18. Killian Mooney, Ireland, 1:04:48; 19. Callum Davidson, Great Britain, 1:05:32; 20. Kieran Walker, Great Britain, 1:05:34.
- Men’s wheelchair: 1. David Weir, Great Britain, 43:06.
- Women’s wheelchair: 1. Melanie Woods, Great Britain, 50:19.
