Belgrade Marathon

Belgrade Marathon
The men's race at the 2006 Belgrade Marathon
Date	Mid-April
Location	Belgrade, Serbia
Event type	Road
Distance	Marathon
Established	1988
Official site	Beogradski Marathon

The Belgrade Marathon is a marathon race held annually in Belgrade since 1988. It is typically held in mid-April and also features half marathon and fun run for the public.

Background

The Belgrade Marathon is one of the biggest sporting events in Serbia. A group of enthusiasts came up with a plan to restore the race that existed in 1910 from Obrenovac to Belgrade. The first modern marathon in Belgrade took place on May 8, 1988. The track length of the original 1910 marathon was 23 km with several checkpoints. The track length of the 1988 marathon was 46.7 km, with the start and finish being in front of the Federal Parliament Building. Since 1990 the Belgrade Marathon has a standard 42.195 km length.

The 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia did not prevent the marathon from taking place that year, and on April 17 the race was held as a metered group run.^[1] About 40 runners from nine countries crossed the finish line at 3 hours 15 minutes and 16 seconds.^[2] The runners from NATO countries were Seine Brenson from the USA, and Michael Turzynski and Heinz Lorber from Germany. The latter two are also founding members of the German 100 Marathon Club.^[3]

The Yugoslav Sport Society "Partizan" took it upon itself to organize the marathon. The City of Belgarde, its departments and communal services helped organize the event. Also involved were the executive bodies of city government, the Army of Serbia, the Serbian Police, and a number of sponsors. In September 2003, Belgrade declared that the Marathon is an event of special importance for the city. The same organisers also arrange the Belgrade Race Through History, a race around the city's Kalemegdan fortress, which started in 1996.^[4]

Belgrade Marathon is adapted for people of all ages, and is separated into the following categories:

• The Kids Marathon is a race for children
• The Fun Run is the event with the most participants (5 km)
• The Half-marathon is a half-distance marathon that is in accordance with world standards
• The Marathon is a standard 42.195 km length marathon

Past winners

Johnstone Kibet Maiyo leading the 2010 men's race

William Kwambai Kipchumba topped the podium in 2008

      Course record       Serbian championship race

Date	Men's winner	Nationality	Time (h:m:s)	Women's winner	Nationality	Time (h:m:s)
April 17, 2016	Albert Rop	Kenya	2:23:59	Stella Barsosio	Kenya	2:43:41
April 18, 2015	Silas Sang	Kenya	2:14:42	Abebu Gelan	Ethiopia	2:34:14
April 27, 2014	Bernard Talam	Kenya	2:14:35	Valary Aiyabei	Kenya	2:37:08
April 21, 2013	Edwin Kitum	Kenya	2:19:34	Olivera Jevtić	Serbia	2:36:12
April 22, 2012	James Barmasai	Kenya	2:16:01	Mary Ptikani	Kenya	2:42:47
April 17, 2011	Gebrselassie Tsegaye	Ethiopia	2:14:41	Frasiah Waithaka	Kenya	2:34:31
April 18, 2010	Johnstone Maiyo	Kenya	2:16:23	Hellen Mugo	Kenya	2:41:19
April 18, 2009	Victor Kigen	Kenya	2:13:28	Anne Kosgei	Kenya	2:34:51
April 19, 2008	William Kipchumba	Kenya	2:14:03	Natalia Chatkina	Belarus	2:46:24
April 21, 2007	John Maluni	Kenya	2:11:53	Olivera Jevtić	Serbia	2:35:46
April 22, 2006	Japhet Kosgei	Kenya	2:10:54	Halina Karnatsevich	Belarus	2:34:35
April 23, 2005	Medeksa Derba	Ethiopia	2:12:10	Inga Abitova	Russia	2:38:20
April 24, 2004	Christopher Isengwe	Tanzania	2:12:53	Rose Nyangacha	Kenya	2:35:55
October 18, 2003[5]	Benson Ogato	Kenya	2:14:48	Zhanna Malkova	Russia	2:40:24
April 20, 2002	Geoffrey Kinyua	Kenya	2:18:48	Rodica Chiriţă	Romania	2:40:55
April 21, 2001	Mluleki Nobanda	South Africa	2:15:11	Cristina Pomacu	Romania	2:29:44
April 22, 2000	Thabiso Moqhali	Lesotho	2:15:08	Cristina Pomacu	Romania	2:36:54
April 17, 1999	Official group run as a demonstration against 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia					3:15:16
April 25, 1998	Reuben Chebutich	Kenya	2:12:51	Irina Bogachova	Kyrgyzstan	2:32:07
April 19, 1997	Josephat Ndeti	Kenya	2:13:38	Irina Bogachova	Kyrgyzstan	2:34:57
April 20, 1996	Hussein Salah	Djibouti	2:14:15	Izabela Zatorska	Poland	2:36:51
April 22, 1995	Vladimir Kotov	Belarus	2:14:00	Izabela Zatorska	Poland	2:40:27
April 23, 1994	Vladimir Bukhanov	Ukraine	2:12:28	Cristina Pomacu	Romania	2:33:08
April 24, 1993	Jacob Ngunzu	Kenya	2:16:09	Suzana Ćirić	FR Yugoslavia	2:40:27
April 25, 1992	Nicolas Nyengerai	Zimbabwe	2:16:07	Garifa Blaizanova	Kazakhstan	2:45:12
May 4, 1991	Agapius Masong	Tanzania	2:16:23	Carla Malisová	Czechoslovakia	2:47:10
May 5, 1990	Joseph Nzau	Kenya	2:19:32	Suzana Ćirić	SFR Yugoslavia	2:45:09

References

1. Butcher, Pat (1999-10-11). Paul Tergat to race through history. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-15.
2. Run, World, Run -- And Stop the War!
3. 100 Marathon Club Germany
4. The Belgrade Race Through History. Belgrade Marathon. Retrieved on 2009-10-15.
5. postponed from April to October, due to state of emergency in the country, following the assassination of prime minister Zoran Đinđić

List of winners

• Karamata, Ozren (2010-04-20). Beogradski Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2010-04-21.

External links

• Belgrade City Marathon
• Marathon Info
• Run, World, Run -- And Stop the War!