The post Aiming for A Third Win: Philemon Kiriago’s Pre-2026 Sierre-Zinal Interview appeared first on iRunFar.
Defending champion Philemon Kiriago of Kenya returns to the 2026 Sierre-Zinal with hopes of a third victory. In the following interview, Philemon talks about returning to the race for the fifth time, his training and racing since his victory at the 2026 Broken Arrow 23k, the shifting strategies his run2gether team hopes to use for victory, and his goals for the race.
To learn more about who’s racing, check out our men’s and women’s previews before following our live race coverage on race day.
[Editor’s Note: If you are unable to see the video above, click here to watch it.]
Philemon Kiriago Pre-2026 Sierre-Zinal Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Eszter Horanyi with iRunFar, here with Philemon Kiriago. We are a day ahead of the 2026 Sierre-Zinal. How are you?
Philemon Kiriago: Feeling good.
iRunFar: You’re the defending champion, what does that feel like coming back to this race in that position?
Kiriago: For sure, it’s my pleasure to be here in Zinal again. Looking forward to enjoy the mountains. Because Zinal, it’s a different world as I describe, because this race is accommodating a lot of people, including me. That’s my pleasure I’m coming back. For me, I will say that I’m so excited to be here as a defending champion. Already for me I’ve won two times. This year I’m looking forward, if they give me the chance, I will win, but I’m going to fight until the finishing line. Yes.
iRunFar: Yeah. So the last time we talked to you was about seven weeks ago at the Broken Arrow Sky Race 23k, which you also won.
Kiriago: Yeah.
iRunFar: I believe third at the Ascent. You turned that around and then got second at the Québec Mega Trail. What have you done in that past six weeks since we’ve seen you?
Kiriago: For sure, according to me, I usually prepare myself before the starting of competitions. In Kenya, we have a run2gether camp, which is located in Naivasha. I usually take a lot of moment, just taking to the camp, focusing, following the plan of my coach, Geoffrey Gikuni. So for me, this year I was calculating to run 20 races, but I’ve done around 12 races. Now looking forward for the remaining. So I’m excited and well-prepared by my coach, Geoffrey Gikuni. So I’m ready for tomorrow’s challenge.
iRunFar: So did you go back to Kenya in between these?
Kiriago: Yes, after Broken Arrow, I went back to Kenya to the camp. I trained for one week. I flew to Canada. I run in Canada. Then I go back to Kenya. I trained three weeks in the camp. Then I flew to Europe. Last week I was having Thyon-Dixence, to measure my shape. I see myself as not too bad compared to 2024. Now I hopefully, tomorrow, if nothing happens, everything going to be good, yes.
iRunFar: Yes. So you won Thyon-Dixence?
Kiriago: I won it, yes.
iRunFar: Yeah. And then you also interestingly, well, not interestingly, but last year you also won it, and then you came here and you won. How does that give you confidence?
Kiriago: For sure. Thyon Dixon is similar to Sierre-Zinal. I usually say if I manage to make Thyon-Dixence, there is a possibility, high percentage of the making in Sierre-Zinal. That’s why I’m having hope tomorrow everything will go good, God willing. Yeah.
iRunFar: Yeah. So this is a race where you’ve had a lot of success, you’ve won it twice, you’ve been second once. You have the second-fastest course time in the history of ever. What is it about this course that suits you so well?
Kiriago: For sure, when I started running in mountain running, I was heard from my colleagues that there is a famous race in Europe, which is known as Sierre-Zinal. I was thinking and trying to have hope that one day I come to run. I come 2022, I managed to finish position five.
I went back to Kenya, I said trying and continue trying, you can make it. 2023, I came back, I won it. 2024, I was running with my colleague, Kilian [Jornet]. Kilian won with one second in front of me. I go back, I train. 2025, I won. For me, I have two victories in Sierre-Zinal. For tomorrow, I will say that if I won, if I become second or third, already for me, I have victories. I will try my best. If I win, well, if I become second or third, I appreciate. Yes.
iRunFar: TThere are three different parts to this course, there’s the really steep climb at the beginning. There’s the middle, a more gradual climb, and then the big descent. Is there a part of the course that suits you best?
Kiriago: For sure, Sierre-Zinal is the sweetest course for the elite runners and measuring who are you in the trail. For sure, it combines everything. According to me, I prepared myself, learnt all over, because steep, downhill, flat. So for me, I cannot say that I’m perfect on a different side than another. I try to balance my preparation. Yes.
iRunFar: Yeah. I feel like in the past couple of years, you’ve really taken control of the race on the last downhill. Is that something that you look forward to?
Kiriago: For sure, every year we try to have different strategies because our colleagues, they copy our strategies. When you are smart, you can switch strategy, from strategy one to strategy two. If you come strategy two, you go to strategy three. If it comes three, you come one. Okay. Now we try to switch some strategies. Yes.
iRunFar: Yeah. So last year your run2Gether team swept the podium, took all three spots. All three of you are back this year. How much of that, do you talk to each other in terms of race strategy of how the three of you race together?
Kiriago: For sure, this year it’s very competitive because I’ve seen 12 Kenyans ready for the race. And these are only men. And we have another elite runners. It will be somehow competitive. But what I trust, run2Gether has done a lot compared to other colleagues. We are going to offer everything we have. Even if we miss to win, we win the team. Yes.
iRunFar: When you’re preparing for a race like this, because this year nine of the top 10 men from last year are coming back, how much do you look at a start list ahead of time to plan your strategy?
Kiriago: For sure, strategy, we usually say that each individual person has his own strategy. We have some guys which are very fast uphill, like Richard [Omaya Atuya]. We have some guys very, very strong on downhill, like Ephantus [Njeri], like Samwel [Kiprotich], and also Patrick [Kipngeno] uphill. But for me, I’m unpredictable, I’m doing well up, I’m doing well flat, I’m doing well down. So for me, I will try to balance my body so that I try to catch them. Yes.
iRunFar: Yeah. So I guess, you’re the unpredictable one. Are you going to give us anything about what your strategy will be this weekend?
Kiriago: For me, according to our tribe, it says don’t announce for the bird before you catch it. You keep quiet. After catching the bird, you say, “I knew.” Yes. My strategy, I will explain it after the competition.
iRunFar: Okay. Well, hopefully we get to talk to you after the competition and you can tell us how that worked out.
Kiriago: Yeah. For sure. Yeah.
iRunFar: Philemon Kiriago, best of luck on defending your title at Sierre-Zinal.
Kiriago: Thank you so much.
Aiming for A Third Win: Philemon Kiriago’s Pre-2026 Sierre-Zinal Interview by Eszter Horanyi.
