Dubai Marathon
Sunday, January 31, 2027 · Dubai, UAE · 6:00 AM (Elite); 7:00 AM (Masses)
Updated May 2026
Sea-level, uniformly flat geometry with exceptionally wide roads. The most Ethiopian-dominated race on the global elite calendar: all 20 winners (men and women combined) across the last 10 editions are East African, 19 of them Ethiopian. Historically offered up to $1,000,000 for a world record (most prominently in 2008); the current published prize structure does not list a WR bonus.
The score breakdown
The Kenyan Running Difficulty Index combines four weighted factors. The heaviest weight (35%) is on Tactical Brutality. That is what a Kenyan coach watches first: where the field actually blows up.
Score confidence: preliminary. Computed from public course, weather, and prize data; calibration against 5K split data and coach review is in progress.
Course profile
- Elevation gain
- —
- Elevation loss
- —
- Surface
- paved smooth
- Late-stage climbs (after mile 18)
- None.
- Profile notes
- Uniformly flat sea-level course; exact elevation gain/loss not published.
Race day
- Date
- Sunday, January 31, 2027
- Start time
- 6:00 AM (Elite); 7:00 AM (Masses)
- Field size
- 14,000
Weather (historical)
- Humidity
- ~58% average in January (cool-season window before midday heat builds; January is Dubai's most humid month but temperatures stay mild).
- Notable weather events
- 2022 event postponed to 2023 due to external logistical factors
Prize money
- Total purse
- $316,000 (international marathon field)
- Winner
- $80K
- 2nd / 3rd
- $40K / $20K
- Notes
- Top-three USD payouts ($80K/$40K/$20K) are competitive with the WMM tier despite Dubai sitting outside the WMM circuit. The much-publicized $1M WR bonus from late-2000s editions does not appear on the current published prize structure.
Course records
Recent winners
Top East African winners (Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda) across the last 10 verified editions: 10 men, 10 women.
| Year | Men's winner | Time | Women's winner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Nibret Melak (ETH) | 2:04:00 | Anchinalu Dessie (ETH) | 2:18:31 |
| 2025 | Bute Gemechu (ETH) | 2:04:51 | Bedatu Hirpa (ETH) | 2:18:27 |
| 2024 | Addisu Gobena (ETH) | 2:05:01 | Tigist Ketema (ETH) | 2:16:07 |
| 2023 | Abdisa Tola Adera (ETH) | 2:05:42 | Dera Dida Yami (ETH) | 2:21:11 |
| 2020 | Olika Adugna Bikila (ETH) | 2:06:15 | Worknesh Degefa (ETH) | 2:19:38 |
| 2019 | Getaneh Molla (ETH) | 2:03:34 | Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) | 2:17:08 |
| 2018 | Mosinet Geremew (ETH) | 2:04:00 | Roza Dereje (ETH) | 2:19:17 |
| 2017 | Tamirat Tola (ETH) | 2:04:11 | Worknesh Degefa (ETH) | 2:22:36 |
| 2016 | Tesfaye Abera (ETH) | 2:04:24 | Tirfi Tsegaye (ETH) | 2:19:41 |
| 2015 | Lemi Berhanu (ETH) | 2:05:28 | Aselefech Mergia (ETH) | 2:20:02 |
Training for Dubai Marathon?
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