The 2026 Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon entered the history books after becoming Uganda’s first marathon to receive World Athletics Label Road Race status.
The achievement represented one of the most important milestones in the development of the Kasese-based event, which began in 2022 and has steadily grown from a local sporting event into an international sports tourism attraction.
World Athletics certification means the race operates under internationally recognised standards covering areas such as course measurement, race operations, timing and elite participation.
For the Rwenzori Marathon, the designation also gave the race greater credibility among elite athletes and international running communities.
The organisers said the marathon became the first race in Uganda to receive the label and one of only three in East Africa.
The achievement was particularly significant because East Africa is globally recognised as the centre of long-distance running.
Kenya and Ethiopia have traditionally dominated international marathon running, while Uganda has produced an increasingly strong generation of distance runners.
The Rwenzori Marathon’s international recognition therefore gave Ugandan athletes another internationally certified platform on home soil.
The route itself was subjected to formal certification.
The 42.2-kilometre course begins at the Equator in Kikorongo, inside Queen Elizabeth National Park.
From there, runners travel towards Kasese before turning towards the Rwenzori foothills and Kilembe area.
The course reaches a maximum elevation of 1,200 metres above sea level and has approximately 410 metres of elevation gain.
The half marathon is also internationally certified, covering 21.1 kilometres and reaching the Rwenzori foothills.
The certification process was not simply a branding exercise.
In April 2026, the organisers announced that World Athletics-certified measurer Gavin Wright had conducted an official measurement of the course using calibrated bicycle counter equipment.
The review also examined race infrastructure, hydration points, marshal positions, transport arrangements and the finish arena.
The organisers said the process was part of preparing the event to meet the requirements associated with World Athletics Label Road Race status.
The international label also gave greater significance to the race results.
At the fifth edition, Uganda’s Leonard Chemonges won the men’s marathon in 2:13:25.
Alex Mutai was second in 2:13:36, while Fred Cherotwo finished third in 2:13:49.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Margaret Jepchumba took first place in 2:39:15, followed by Ugandan runners Vanice Chemutai and Joan Chebet.
The certification also strengthens Kasese’s tourism profile.
The race route takes competitors through some of Uganda’s most distinctive landscapes, combining the Equator, Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Kasese urban area and the Rwenzori Mountains.
This combination allows the marathon to operate not only as a sporting competition but also as a destination-marketing platform.
The Ministry of Tourism has highlighted the event’s role in positioning Kasese as an international sports tourism region.
According to the ministry, thousands of runners, spectators and visitors attended the fifth edition.
For the organisers, the ultimate ambition is to continue improving the event.
The race’s website describes the 2026 edition as a major step in its development and says the marathon is among a relatively small number of World Athletics-labelled races globally.
The marathon is also an official qualifier for the Comrades Marathon and Two Oceans Marathon, adding further international significance to the event.
The World Athletics label therefore represents more than a certificate.
It is an indication that a Ugandan race can meet international standards while remaining rooted in a local community.
For Kasese, the designation offers an opportunity to attract more athletes, tourists, sponsors and international attention.
For Ugandan runners, it provides another opportunity to compete on a certified course without travelling abroad.
And for Uganda’s tourism industry, it creates another international platform through which the country’s landscapes can be marketed to the world.
The 2026 Rwenzori Marathon consequently marked the beginning of a new phase — one in which Kasese is no longer simply hosting a marathon, but hosting an internationally recognised road race.
