The elite field for the 2026 Irish Life Dublin Marathon has been announced, with Hiko Tonosa and Nichola Sheridan among the leading Irish entries joining an international line up of established marathon winners.
The race takes place on Sunday, October 25th, with the overall honours and Irish national marathon titles to be decided on the streets of the capital.
Ethiopia’s Ashenafi Moges and Askale Alemayehu Adula bring the fastest personal bests to the men’s and women’s fields respectively, while Belfast Marathon winner Abay Alemu is also confirmed.
Tonosa Leads the Irish Men’s Challenge
Hiko Tonosa of Dundrum South Dublin AC returns to the course where he ran 2:09:42 in 2024, finishing third overall and winning the Irish title. That remains the fastest time recorded by an Irish athlete at the Dublin Marathon.
The Antrim Coast Half Marathon winner brings both recent winning form and experience of competing at the front in Dublin, making him a central figure in the Irish contest.
Hugh Armstrong of Ballina AC is another significant name on the entry list. With a personal best of 2:12:25 and a 2:13:55 performance in Düsseldorf this April, he brings a strong marathon record to the race.
Clonmel AC’s William Maunsell, who finished third in the 2024 national marathon championships, returns with a best of 2:14:23. Clubmate Sean Tobin will also attract attention after winning this year’s Dublin City Half Marathon in a course record of 63:11.
Stephen McAuley of Letterkenny AC comes into the race as the Belfast Half Marathon winner. He was tenth overall and fourth in the Irish field in Dublin last year, before running a marathon best of 2:15:26 in Valencia.
There is further depth through Killian Mooney of Dundrum South Dublin AC, Jake O’Regan of St. John’s AC and John Travers of Donore Harriers. All three have recorded marathon personal bests this year, with Mooney running 2:17:46 in Barcelona and O’Regan and Travers clocking 2:17:30 and 2:18:46 respectively in Seville.
Sheridan Heads Irish Women’s Entries
Nichola Sheridan of Bohermeen AC is the fastest Irish woman on the announced list following her 2:29:13 performance in Melbourne this month.
That run secured third in Melbourne and moved her to sixth on the Irish women’s all time marathon list. Having finished third among the Irish women in Dublin last year, she returns with a substantially stronger personal best.
Sorcha Nic Dhomhnaill of West Limerick AC also brings encouraging form. She won the 2026 Dublin City Half Marathon in a course record of 71:25 and was part of Ireland’s silver medal winning team at the European 10,000m Cup.
Her marathon best stands at 2:38:19 from 2022, but her performances over shorter distances make her one of the most interesting Irish entries.
Meghan Ryan of Dundrum South Dublin AC returns after finishing fourth among the Irish women in Dublin last year in 2:40:33. She has since won the 2026 Irish Life Dublin Half Marathon.
Judith Storm of City of Derry Spartans adds another recent half marathon winner to the field. She won in Belfast in September in 74:14 and holds a marathon best of 2:39:09, set in Belfast last year.
Belfast Winner Among International Men’s Contenders
Ashenafi Moges heads the men’s field on personal bests with 2:06:12. The Ethiopian won the Stockholm Marathon in 2023, although his listed best this season is a considerably slower 2:21:37.
Compatriot Abay Alemu arrives with a more recent victory on Irish roads, having won the Belfast Marathon in May. His personal best of 2:06:50 is just two seconds quicker than Kemal Husen’s Dublin course record of 2:06:52.
Morocco’s Mohcin Outalha has a similarly quick best of 2:06:49 and was the Mediterranean Games half marathon champion in 2022.
Sweden’s Ebba Tulu Chala is another contender with a strong record of winning. The Stockholm Marathon champion in both 2024 and 2026 has a personal best of 2:07:38 and ran 2:08:48 in Seville this February.
Ethiopians Mitku Tafa, the 2024 Madrid Marathon winner, and Tilahun Sime Abebe, the 2024 Venice Marathon winner, add further strength. Their respective bests of 2:07:40 and 2:07:50 underline the depth near the front of the field.
Adula Sets the Standard in the Women’s Race
Askale Alemayehu Adula leads the women’s entries with a personal best of 2:22:56, recorded when finishing sixth in Dubai this February.
That is comfortably inside the Dublin course record of 2:24:13, set by Asmarech Nega in 2024, although translating that speed to Dublin’s course will be the challenge.
Kenya’s Risper Chebet also holds a personal best quicker than the course record, having run 2:23:45. The 2022 Malaga Marathon winner brings considerable experience to the contest.
Ethiopia’s Zenebu Fikdau Jebesa, the 2022 Nice Cannes Marathon winner, has a best of 2:24:43, while Morocco’s Oumaima Saoud ran 2:25:05 when finishing second in Marrakech this January.
With several international contenders capable of challenging the leading times recorded in Dublin, and competitive Irish fields behind them, there will be plenty to follow at the front next Sunday.]
Image: Sportsfile
