--- title: "Gladys Kiptoo breaks women’s record at 21st Jersey Marathon" url: https://www.nsfw.info/gladys-kiptoo-breaks-womens-record-jersey-marathon/ published: 2026-10-07T11:31:05+00:00 modified: 2026-10-07T11:31:05+00:00 author: "Chief Editor" categories: ["Events"] image: https://www.nsfw.info/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/gladys-kiptoo-breaks-womens-record-jersey-marathon-1024x572.webp summary: "Kenyan Gladys Kiptoo smashed the women's course record at the 21st Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon, while Samuel Kimtai Kwarat retained his men's title." publisher: NSFW (https://www.nsfw.info) --- # Gladys Kiptoo breaks women’s record at 21st Jersey Marathon **In brief:** The 21st Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon drew more than 2,100 runners on Sunday, with Samuel Kimtai Kwarat retaining his men’s title and Kenyan Gladys Kiptoo smashing the women’s course record. The event, now in its 20th year of partnership with St John Ambulance Jersey, has grown into a global community occasion raising funds for local and international charities. ## A Record Falls and a Champion Returns Sunday’s 21st edition of the Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon delivered everything the event has come to promise: sweat, spectacle and, this year, a slice of history. More than 2,100 runners set off from the start line in what the Jersey Evening Post describes as one of the most highly anticipated community events the Island has to offer. Samuel Kimtai Kwarat crossed the finish line first in the men’s race, repeating his 2025 victory with a time of 2:19:56, just shy of his winning time of 2:17:01 from the previous year. He was candid about the conditions: “The wind was tough,” he said, “but I feel I managed those really well, and I’m happy with the time, given the challenges I faced.” The bigger story, however, belonged to Kenyan Gladys Kiptoo, who arrived with a single objective. She duly delivered, smashing Alice Braham’s women’s course record of 2:40:47, set last year, with a time of 2:35:57. “It was amazing to make a bit of history and break the record, that was my focus all along,” Kiptoo said, acknowledging that strong winds along the seafront sections forced her to ease the pace at points. She was, she confirmed, “just very happy with everything.” ## From the Weighbridge to Vinchelez and Back The full-distance runners set off at 9am, threading through Mulcaster Street, La Motte Street, Hilary Street and Halkett Place before leaving St Helier behind. The course took them past West Park, Bellozanne and Ville ès Nouaux, up Waterworks Valley, around St John’s Manor and all the way to Vinchelez de Haut Manor, before looping back through St Peter’s Village, Les Quennevais and La Corbière, then returning along Victoria Avenue, through the Esplanade and Waterfront, and finishing at the Weighbridge. For those not quite ready to tackle 26.2 miles solo, the Titan Wealth Relay offered teams of two or five runners the chance to share the course from 9.30am. Team Over the Hill topped the two-person relay with a time of 2:37:28, while Team Endurance Coaching Crew led the five-person category in 2:38:19. The youngest participants took on the Marathon Mile, sponsored by Jersey Development Company, a one-lap course through St Helier open to runners from the age of six. Leo Gage completed it fastest, in 5 minutes and 13 seconds. Former England goalkeeper David James was among the spectators at the Weighbridge, adding a touch of sporting celebrity to an already lively atmosphere. ## Community, Charity and Two Decades of Partnership Henry Baye, Chief Executive of Standard Chartered Jersey, was in reflective mood about what the event has become. “Jersey Marathon means a lot for loads of different people,” he told the JEP. “It’s this wonderful day of generosity, sunshine, mirth and laughter.” He highlighted the breadth of personal stories behind the entries: runners honouring lost relatives, raising funds for cancer causes, completing personal challenges such as an A-to-Z of marathons, or simply running alongside a parent. Baye also pointed to the event’s growing international reach. “This has gradually become a global event. We’re putting Jersey on the map.” A percentage of entry fees supports the Standard Chartered Foundation, which works to tackle economic inequality and expand opportunities for young people. This year marks 20 years of partnership between the marathon and St John Ambulance Jersey, whose volunteers have provided first-aid cover throughout the event since its early days. Runners could also donate pre-loved trainers through the event’s Trainer Drop-off scheme, with footwear distributed to local charities The Shelter Trust and Acorn for resale, as well as unwanted jackets and jumpers in dedicated drop-off areas. ## The NSFW Perspective There is something quietly magnificent about 2,100 people voluntarily choosing to run a marathon around Jersey’s hills and headlands on a blustery October morning, when the alternative involves a sofa and a bacon sandwich. The Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon has grown from a local fixture into something genuinely global, and it does so without a government press release in sight. No ministerial taskforce, no consultancy fees, no six-figure strategy document: just a bank, a community, a Kenyan with a stopwatch and a former Premier League goalkeeper cheering from the Weighbridge. If only everything on this Island ran so efficiently. *Source: [Jersey Evening Post](https://jerseyeveningpost.com/sport/2026/10/07/runners-raise-the-standard)*