Prague Marathon

Source From Wikipedia English.

The Prague Marathon (also known as Prague International Marathon (PIM)) is an annual road marathon held in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic each May. It was founded in 1995 and has grown to become a significant event, being awarded IAAF Gold Label status. Prague's marathon course has been voted one of the most beautiful in the world.

Prague Marathon
Finish line outside St. Nicholas Church in 2008
DateMay
LocationPrague, Czech Republic
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Established1995 (29 years ago) (1995)
Course recordsMen's: 2:05:39 (2010)
Kenya Eliud Kiptanui
Women's: 2:19:46 (2019)
Israel Lonah Chemtai
Official sitePrague Marathon
Participants4,602 finishers (2022)
7,299 finishers (2019)
Lining up at the start in the corrals at the Old Town Square in 2016
Runners on Čech Bridge in 2013
Taking on refreshment in 2010

History

The inaugural marathon was held in 1995 with the support of Emil Zátopek, a Czech runner who had won the marathon at the 1952 Summer Olympics despite never having run a marathon before. For its inaugural year, the marathon itself had 985 participants, while runners in two additional races, measuring 9.2 and 4.8 km (5.7 and 3.0 mi), made up the rest of the roughly 15,000 participants in total.

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of transferring their entry to 2021 or 2022 or transferring their entry to another runner. Similarly, the 2021 in-person edition was also cancelled due to the pandemic, with all registrants given the option of transferring their entry to 2022 or exchanging it for a shop voucher.

Other races

The Prague Marathon event takes place over a full weekend and comprises several events, including the Prague International Marathon, the Volkswagen Family Minimarathon 4.2 km, the Allianz Eco Walk 2 km, and the In-line party 6.5 km - a skating event. The Hervis Prague Half Marathon, which is also awarded IAAF Gold Label status, is held each March or April.

Winners

Since its inception in 1995, the men's race has been dominated by East African runners, with Kenyan athletes in particular winning 13 titles alone.

Angola-born Portuguese runner Hélder Ornelas became the first and so far only European men's winner in 2007. The winners of the women's race have been mainly Russian and Kenyan. Alena Vinnitskaya of Belarus is the most successful women's athlete however, with her three straight wins from 1996 to 1998.

Kenyan Alexander Mutiso is the men's record holder with 2:05:09 hours. Israeli Lonah Chemtai Salpeter has the women's course best of 2:19:45 hours.

In 2019, Moroccan runner El Mahjoub Dazza crossed the finish line first, but was disqualified in 2020 by the Athletics Integrity Unit for using a prohibited substance, as determined by abnormalities in his athlete biological passport. Ethiopian runner Dawit Wolde was named the winner after Dazza's disqualification.

Key:

   Course record (in bold)
   Czech Republic championship race

Marathon

Ed. Year Men's winner Time Women's winner Time Rf.
1 1995   Tumo Turbo (ETH) 2:12:44   Svetlana Tkach (MDA) 2:39:33
2 1996   William Musyoki (KEN) 2:12:21   Alena Vinnitskaya (BLR) 2:37:33
3 1997   John Kagwe (KEN) 2:09:07   Alena Vinnitskaya (BLR) 2:32:58
4 1998   Elijah Lagat (KEN) 2:08:52   Alena Vinnitskaya (BLR) 2:34:25
5 1999   Eliud Kering (KEN) 2:11:19   Franca Fiacconi (ITA) 2:28:33
6 2000   Simon Chemoiywo (KEN) 2:10:35   Alina Ivanova (RUS) 2:27:42
7 2001   Andrea Sipe (TAN) 2:10:14   Maura Viceconte (ITA) 2:26:33
8 2002   Henry Kiprotich (KEN) 2:11:41   Alevtina Ivanova (RUS) 2:32:24
9 2003   Willy Kipkirui (KEN) 2:11:56   Anne Jelagat (KEN) 2:31:10
10 2004   Barnabas Kipkoech (KEN) 2:12:15   Leila Aman (ETH) 2:31:48
11 2005   Steven Cheptot (KEN) 2:10:42   Salina Kosgei (KEN) 2:28:42
12 2006   Mubarak Hassan Shami (QAT) 2:11:11   Alina Ivanova (RUS) 2:29:20
13 2007   Hélder Ornelas (POR) 2:11:49   Nailiya Yulamanova (RUS) 2:33:10
14 2008   Kenneth Mungara (KEN) 2:11:06   Nailiya Yulamanova (RUS) 2:31:43
15 2009   Patrick Ivuti (KEN) 2:07:48   Olga Glok (RUS) 2:28:27
16 2010   Eliud Kiptanui (KEN) 2:05:39   Helena Kirop (KEN) 2:25:29
17 2011   Benson Barus (KEN) 2:07:07   Lydia Cheromei (KEN) 2:22:34
18 2012   Deressa Chimsa (ETH) 2:06:25   Agnes Kiprop (KEN) 2:25:40
19 2013   Nicholas Kemboi (QAT) 2:08:51   Caroline Rotich (KEN) 2:27:00
20 2014   Patrick Terer (KEN) 2:08:07   Firehiwot Dado (ETH) 2:23:34
21 2015   Felix Kandie (KEN) 2:08:32   Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:23:49
22 2016   Lawrence Cherono (KEN) 2:07:24   Lucy Karimi (KEN) 2:24:46
23 2017   Gebretsadik Abraha (ETH) 2:08:47   Valary Aiyabei (KEN) 2:21:57
24 2018   Galen Rupp (USA) 2:06:07   Bornes Kitur (KEN) 2:24:19
25 2019   Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:06:18   Lonah Chemtai (ISR) 2:19:46
cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic
26 2022   Norbert Kigen (KEN) 2:07:54   Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 2:22:56
27 2023   Alexander Mutiso (KEN) 2:05:09   Workenesh Edesa (ETH) 2:20:42
28 2024   Lemi Hayle (ETH) 2:08:44   Bedatu Hirpa (ETH) 2:23:41

Battle of the Teams

Battle of the Teams is an elite-only event inaugurated in 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ed. Year Men's winner Time Women's winner Time Rf.
1 2021   Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:10:16   Purity Rionoripo (KEN) 2:20:14

Multiple wins

Athlete Wins Category Years
  Alena Vinnitskaya (BLR) 3 Women's 1996, 1997, 1998
  Alina Ivanova (RUS) 2 Women's 2000, 2006
  Nailiya Yulamanova (RUS) 2 Women's 2007, 2008

By country

Country Total Men's Women's
  Kenya 27 18 9
  Ethiopia 11 5 6
  Russia 6 0 6
  Belarus 3 0 3
  Italy 2 0 2
  Qatar 2 2 0
  Moldova 1 0 1
  Tanzania 1 1 0
  Portugal 1 1 0
  United States 1 1 0
  Israel 1 0 1

Notes

References

List of winners

External links