Record numbers take part in the Brighton Half Marathon

Thousands of runners turned out for the 36^th Brighton Half Marathon yesterday, in windy and wet conditions, running 13.1 miles around the city. The event kicked off at 9.28am with the Yeomans Toyota Wheelchair Race, followed by the main race at 9.30am, all started by BAFTA-nominated actor and award-winning singer/songwriter, Olly Alexander, who ran for Team Beacon.

Martin Harrigan, Race Director of Brighton Half Marathon, said “What an incredible weekend! The sun shone for the Youth Races on Saturday and then the rain poured and the wind blew today for the main race but our runners, volunteers, supporters and sponsors were absolutely amazing! We had a record number of runners during the race weekend with over 10,000 taking part. A huge thank you to everyone for making the Brighton Half Marathon the happiest half of the year!”

Brighton-based HIV charity, the Sussex Beacon is the owner of the race. The event is the charity’s biggest fundraiser every year and is essential to help fund the charity’s services. This year over 800 Team Beacon runners raised a record £200,000 plus for the Sussex Beacon.

In the wheelchair race, last year's winner Josh Hickinbottom took first place in the men's race with a time of 64 minutes and 57 seconds, followed by Liam Coffill in 69 minutes 48 seconds and Rob Smith in 80 minutes and 8 seconds. The women's wheelchair race was won by Claudia Burrough in 70 minutes and 38 seconds, followed by Mel Nicholls in 71 minutes and 55 seconds and Roz Delap in 99 minutes and 54 seconds. 

In the men’s race, last year's winner and course record holder Seyfu Jamaal finished first with a time of 65 minutes and 28 seconds; second place went to Oluwatosin Adedeji, who came home in 66 minutes and 21 seconds; third place went to Reuben Hoyte who finished in 66 minutes and 41 seconds.

The women’s race was won by Maisie Trafford, finishing in 77 minutes and 32 seconds, followed by Ruby Whyte-Wilding in 78 minutes and 14 seconds. Third place went to Lucy Lavender with a time of 78 minutes and 44 seconds.

Alongside the elite field, thousands of charity runners took to the streets of the city, including Team Beacon's Dale Melita aka Scene Magazine's Daley Pop, who ran with his friend, Hannah; Simeon and Jasper Superville, 28 and 22 from London and Brighton, who ran in fancy dress as Slinky Dog from Toy Story to raise money and awareness for Grassroots Suicide Prevention; as well as John Jones, 46, Peter Osborne, 46, Dominic Hughes, 45, Tom Ratcliffe, 46, Craig McKay, 44, Chris Worrall, 45 and Phil Weston, 44 a group of doctors from across the country who ran as a herd of cows! 

The Brighton Half Marathon 2026 started on Hove Lawns before sweeping east along Brighton seafront past key city landmarks such as the i360 and the Brighton Palace Pier before heading north past the Royal Pavilion and then on to the bracing cliff tops of East Brighton. Runners then headed back to Madeira Drive and then on to Hove Lagoon and the colourful beach huts of Hove seafront, before finally heading to the finish line on Hove Lawns.