Reviewed by Michael AinomugishaUganda sports betting writer
Published 29 August 2026
Leonard Chemonges won the fifth Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon in Kasese in 2:13:25, taking the course record off a mark of 2:14:59 that had stood since 2024.
The win was worth Shs40 million and an electric motorcycle. It came in the first edition of the race to carry a World Athletics label, which is the first time any Ugandan road race has held one.
A record that had stood two years
The old figure of 2:14:59 was set in 2024 and had survived two editions. Chemonges took it apart by 94 seconds on a course that climbs through the foothills of the Rwenzori range, where the altitude and the gradient usually keep times honest rather than fast.
Margaret Japchumba of Kenya won the women’s marathon in 2:39:15. Kenyan runners have taken the women’s title repeatedly in Kasese, and the pattern held again.
The half marathon and the size of the field
Abel Chebet won the men’s half marathon in 1:02:00 and Gloria Chebet won the women’s in 1:12:10. More than eight thousand runners started across the distances, drawn from more than forty countries, which makes Kasese the largest mass participation race in the Ugandan calendar.
The label matters more than the prize money over a full season. A World Athletics label puts a race inside the federation’s own results system, which is where qualifying marks and world ranking points are read from, so a fast time in Kasese now counts in a way it did not before. AXN Sports will follow what that does to the elite entry next year.
Where to bet: Ugandan road racing is priced thinly, so expect outright winner and head to head markets rather than the deep menu you get on football. Fortebet and Betway, both licensed by the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, take marathon markets in shillings with deposits through MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money. Prices on a race like this move once the elite entry is confirmed, so the number a week out is rarely the number on the morning. Compare the two books before you stake. Our guide to the best betting sites in Uganda covers licensing and withdrawal times, and there is more in Uganda athletics news from AXN Sports. You must be 25 or older to bet in Uganda, where the Lotteries and Gaming Act sets the minimum age at 25 rather than 18. 25+. Gamble responsibly.
