Prague Marathon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prague Marathon
Finish line outside St. Nicholas Church in 2008
DateMay
LocationPrague, Czech Republic
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Primary sponsoradidas
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)[1]
7,299 finishers (2019)[2]
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

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.[3] Prague's marathon course has been voted one of the most beautiful in the world.[4]

History[edit]

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.[5][6][7] 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.[5][8]

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.[a][10][11] 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.[12][13]

Other races[edit]

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.[14]

Winners[edit]

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. 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. Alexander Mutiso is the men's record holder with 2:05:09 hours while Lonah Chemtai Salpeter has the women's course best of 2:19:45 hours.[15]

In 2019, 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.[16][17][18] Dawit Wolde was named the winner after Dazza's disqualification.[16][19]

Key:

   Course record (in bold)
   Czech Republic championship race

Marathon[edit]

Ed. Year Men's winner Time[b] Women's winner Time[b] 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)[c] 2:06:18  Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (ISR) 2:19:46 [19]
cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic [10][12]
26 2022  Norbert Kigen (KEN) 2:07:54  Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 2:22:56 [20][21]
27 2023  Alexander Mutiso (KEN) 2:05:09 Workenesh Edesa (ETH) 2:20:42

Battle of the Teams[edit]

Battle of the Teams is an elite-only event inaugurated in 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic.[22][23]

Ed. Year Men's winner Time[b] Women's winner Time[b] Rf.
1 2021  Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:10:16  Purity Rionoripo (KEN) 2:20:14 [23]

Multiple wins[edit]

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[edit]

Country Total Men's Women's
 Kenya 27 17 10
 Ethiopia 6 3 3
 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
 Bahrain 1 1 0
 Israel 1 0 1

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ It had initially been postponed before being cancelled.[9]
  2. ^ a b c d h:m:s
  3. ^ El Mahjoub Dazza crossed the finish line first, but was disqualified for using a prohibited substance.[16][18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Results - RunCzech". www.runczech.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Results | RunCzech". Archived from the original on 28 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Prague International Marathon - IAAF Gold Label for Volkswagen Prague Marathon!". www.praguemarathon.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
  4. ^ "Volkswagen Prague Marathon in Prague, Czech Republic, NA: Details at Runner's World.com". runnersworld.com. Archived from the original on 2010-04-28. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
  5. ^ a b "25 years of #PragueMarathon | RunCzech". Archived from the original on 2021-07-25.
  6. ^ "Prague Half Marathon to Take Place in September". Archived from the original on 25 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Emil Zátopek Bio, Stats, and Results | Olympics at Sports-Reference.c…". Archived from the original on 4 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Defending Champion Felix Kandie to Headline Prague Marathon - FloTrack". Archived from the original on 26 July 2021.
  9. ^ www.fg.cz, 2013, FG Forrest, a s (25 March 2020). "Volkswagen Prague Marathon 2020 is postponed | RunCzech". runczech.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ a b "Open letter | RunCzech".
  11. ^ "FAQ | RunCzech".
  12. ^ a b "Press release - the Volkswagen Prague Marathon postponed until after 2021 - RunCzech". www.runczech.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Prague Marathon Again Cancelled over Covid Restrictions | Barron's". www.barrons.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Prague International Marathon - Prague International Marathon receives the Prestigious IAAF Gold Label for its Hervis Prague Half Marathon". www.praguemarathon.com. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  15. ^ Prague International Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2012-05-13.
  16. ^ a b c "Moroccan marathon runner handed four-year doping ban". Archived from the original on 28 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Appeal Decisions | Athletics Integrity Unit". Archived from the original on 28 July 2021.
  18. ^ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20210728164723if_/https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/downloads/pdfs/disciplinary-process/en/CAS-EMD.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  19. ^ a b "Results | RunCzech". Archived from the original on 28 July 2021.
  20. ^ "World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Kigen and Borecha triumph in 26th Prague Marathon | Radio Prague International". english.radio.cz. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  22. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20210724123015if_/https://www.runczech.com/file/edee/en/media/press-release/pr-the-battle-of-the-teams-en.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  23. ^ a b "Prague Marathon: Battle of the Teams | AIMS | Race news". Archived from the original on 24 July 2021.
List of winners

External links[edit]