2026 Stockholm Marathon Women's Results | Rebecca Chesir Wins Epic Sprint Finish in 2:30:58
Rebecca Chesir of Kenya won a breathtaking women's race at the 2026 Stockholm Marathon on May 30, edging Sintayehu Lewetegn by just 8 seconds after a six-woman lead pack held together until the final kilometres.
· 4 min read · Rankings & Data
The 2026 Stockholm Marathon women's race was one of those rare finishes where you genuinely didn't know the winner until the line. Rebecca Chesir of Kenya crossed in **2:30:58**, with Sintayehu Lewetegn (ETH) just **8 seconds** behind in 2:31:06. Third, fourth, fifth, and sixth places were all separated by just 51 seconds.
Six women finished within 53 seconds of each other. On a course that winds through Stockholm's bridges and waterways over 42 kilometres, that kind of racing requires nerve as much as fitness.
The top 3 breakdown
Hiwot Mehari (ETH) took third in **2:31:21** - just 23 seconds off the winner - and Monicah Wanjuhi Ngige (KEN) finished fourth in **2:31:31**. But the result that will resonate the most in Nordic running circles is fifth place: Susanna Saapunki of Finland ran **2:31:32**, her personal best and a remarkable performance in a world-class international field.
Tsige Haileslase (ETH) rounded out the lead group in sixth at **2:31:49**.
The top six were all within under a minute. That's a genuinely elite pack race, not a runaway win.
Key highlights
- Rebecca Chesir wins with **2:30:58** in one of the tightest women's marathon finishes you'll see - The top 6 women finished within **51 seconds** of each other - **Susanna Saapunki** (Finland, 5th, 2:31:32) ran a remarkable race in an international field - a standout result for Nordic women's marathon - **Carolina Wikström** (8th, 2:34:06) is the first Swedish woman home, demonstrating strong domestic depth - Kenya and Ethiopia each placed two athletes in the top 6 - a pattern that dominates the global marathon scene
Full results
| # | Time | Athlete | Country | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | **2:30:58** | Rebecca Chesir | 🇰🇪 KEN | | 2 | **2:31:06** | Sintayehu Lewetegn | 🇪🇹 ETH | | 3 | **2:31:21** | Hiwot Mehari | 🇪🇹 ETH | | 4 | **2:31:31** | Monicah Wanjuhi Ngige | 🇰🇪 KEN | | 5 | **2:31:32** | Susanna Saapunki | 🇫🇮 FIN | | 6 | **2:31:49** | Tsige Haileslase | 🇪🇹 ETH | | 7 | **2:34:05** | Adilo Obseni | 🇪🇹 ETH | | 8 | **2:34:06** | Carolina Wikström | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 9 | **2:34:25** | Asmare Assefa Beyene | 🇪🇹 ETH | | 10 | **2:39:09** | Hanna Lindholm | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 11 | **2:41:42** | Johanna Bäcklund | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 12 | **2:45:17** | Alva Malmsten Nilsson | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 13 | **2:48:38** | Mikaela Arfwedson | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 14 | **2:50:39** | Olivia Henriksson Olofsson | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 15 | **2:51:03** | Johanna Anvell | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 16 | **2:51:53** | Elvira Moser | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 17 | **2:52:38** | Jenny Björnberg | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 18 | **2:52:43** | Linda Gistedt | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 19 | **2:53:26** | Sofie Nelson Rask | 🇸🇪 SWE | | 20 | **2:54:31** | Katalin Kovacs-Garami | 🇭🇺 HUN |
What made this race extraordinary
Pack racing like this doesn't happen by accident. When six elite women hold together through 35 kilometres of a marathon and then race each other home, it means the pacing was intelligent, the field was evenly matched, and nobody blinked first until the final kilometres.
Chesir had the finishing speed when it mattered. An 8-second margin over Lewetegn after 42km of running together is about composure and kick - not a clear gap in fitness. Either of the top six could plausibly have won this race.
Saapunki's fifth place is particularly notable. A Finnish runner going sub-2:32 in a field this strong at Stockholm - not Helsinki or a domestic race, but against a genuinely elite international field - is a sign that Scandinavian women's marathon depth is real and growing.
Carolina Wikström (8th, 2:34:06) and Hanna Lindholm (10th, 2:39:09) as the lead Swedish runners show the host nation's club system producing competitive marathon athletes too.
What everyday runners can take from this
Stockholm's women's race shows what happens when the field is evenly matched and everyone races smart:
1. Pack racing teaches you to race, not just run. In your next marathon, find someone running your goal pace and stay with them through the tough kilometres. When you're ready to race, go. Use our [Race Predictor](/tools/race-predictor) to find a time to build a sensible race plan around. 2. The final kick matters more than you think. The difference between 1st and 6th here was under a minute after 42 kilometres. Finishing speed comes from not burning all your reserves in the first half. Running the early kilometres conservatively is easier said than done - practise it on long runs. 3. Nordic marathons are serious races. If you're considering a destination marathon in Europe, Stockholm in late May offers world-class competition, an iconic city backdrop, and a field that challenges you properly. Check out the [Stockholm race calendar](/races/sweden/stockholm) on Your Run Guide.
**Find races:** Browse [marathons and road races in Stockholm](/races/sweden/stockholm) on Your Run Guide to compare events, dates, and distances for your next Scandinavian race weekend.
Official results and sources
Full results: [Stockholm Marathon official results](https://stockholm.r.mikatiming.com/2026/?pid=list&pidp=start)
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