Crippa Wins Paris Marathon, Demise Smashes Women’s Course Record

The biggest performance in Paris came from the women’s race, where Shure Demise turned the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris into a record book rewrite. The Ethiopian ran 2:18:34 to break the women’s course mark and win by a clear margin over compatriot Misgane Alemayehu, who finished in 2:19:08, and Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai, third in 2:19:17.

Demise’s time cut 1 minute, 14 seconds from the previous Paris women’s record of 2:19:48, set by Judith Jeptum in 2022. It also represented a major jump from Demise’s previous marathon best of 2:20:59, set in 2015, underscoring how a well-paced race on the right course can still unlock a breakthrough years in the making. The finish on Avenue Foch, opposite the Arc de Triomphe, gave the record a signature Paris backdrop on a course that starts on the Champs-Élysées and ends in the heart of the city’s grandest boulevard.

Crippa’s victory in the men’s race told a different story. Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa won in 2:05:18, holding off Ethiopia’s Bayelign Teshager by five seconds and Sila Kiptoo by 10 seconds in one of the tightest finishes of the day. The 49th edition of the race again showed how a marathon can be both a tactical battle and a test of endurance, with the men’s podium separated by little more than a few strides after 26.2 miles.

The contrast between the two races also reflects the wider acceleration in elite distance running. Demise’s record suggested the power of disciplined pacing, deep competition and a course that rewards boldness as much as caution. Crippa, a two-time European champion and two-time European Championships bronze medalist, added his own mark to the event with a personal-best 2:05:18. Yet his winning time still sat well short of the men’s Paris record of 2:04:21, set by Elisha Rotich in 2021, a reminder that even a strong win can be different from a course-defining performance.

About 60,000 runners took part, keeping Paris among Europe’s largest mass-participation marathons. In a race that already carries institutional weight as a Gold Label event, the results reinforced the city’s place as a proving ground where elite speed, course design and depth of field can converge into something memorable.