Mittelholzer tops age group, places 5th overall at KLM Aruba Marathon

Guyana’s Hicks Mittelholzer produced an impressive performance at the 2026 KLM Aruba Marathon, winning the men’s 25-29 age category and finishing fifth overall among male competitors in the full marathon event.
Competing in the 42.2-kilometre race on Sunday, June 7, in Oranjestad, Aruba, Mittelholzer completed the challenging course in a time of 3 hours, 18 minutes and 14 seconds. His effort earned him first place in the men’s 25-29 division ahead of Aruba’s Nino Fonville, who clocked 3:20:28, and Niek Nijsink, who finished third in 3:33:52.

Mittelholzer’s time also placed him fifth overall in the men’s standings in a race won by Colombia’s Yhon Rodolfo Escamilla Quitian. Escamilla crossed the finish line in 2:35:25 to establish a new course record and claim the US$2500 winner’s prize. Jord Broers was second in 2:55:17, Mathias Connan third in 3:13:45 and Sebastian Jaramillo fourth in 3:15:17.
The women’s marathon title was won by American runner Emily Nelson, who completed the course in 3:42:02.
This year’s event attracted a record 3000 registered participants from 42 countries, making it the largest edition of the KLM Aruba Marathon to date.
The full marathon featured a demanding two-loop format. The first loop began in darkness at 03:15h, while the second was completed in daylight alongside runners participating in the shorter race distances. The course followed a tropical coastal route that started and finished near the parking area between the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and the Barceló Aruba Hotel on J E Irausquin Boulevard in Noord.
Speaking with Guyana Times Sport after the race, Mittelholzer said he was grateful for the result despite not achieving his target time.
“I believe I did well. I’m grateful for the results and grateful for completing the marathon even though the time I got wasn’t what I expected,” Mittelholzer said.
He described the race as one of the toughest he has contested, citing the heat and the climb to the lighthouse as significant challenges.

“This definitely was a challenging one, especially with the heat and the altitude going up to the lighthouse. It was a great experience and a strong learning opportunity to build myself more and make myself better. I was able to push through, stay focused and stay strong,” he explained.
Mittelholzer noted that pacing and increased mileage in training were areas he intends to improve before his next marathon.
“What I believe is that I need to pace myself a bit better. I need to train more and get more mileage in my legs, but definitely the next one will be good. I should be better.”
Reflecting on the experience, he said the event highlighted areas for growth while also providing encouragement from his overall performance.
“Overall, I’m proud of the results, and there is a lot of room for improvement. The race showed me the areas where I need to work on, especially in handling tough conditions and maintaining my pace throughout the race.”
He added: “I have to give God thanks and praise for helping me to complete the marathon and everyone else who supported me.” (Michelangelo Jacobus)