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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]
| Prague Marathon | |
|---|---|
 Finish line outside St. Nicholas Church in 2008 | |
| Date | May |
| Location | Prague, Czech Republic |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | Marathon |
| Established | 1995 |
| Course records | Men's: 2:05:39 (2010) Eliud KiptanuiWomen's: 2:19:46 (2019)  Lonah Chemtai |
| Official site | Prague Marathon |
| Participants | 4,602 finishers (2022)[1] 7,299 finishers (2019)[2] |
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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]
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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]
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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.[15]
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.[16][17][18] Ethiopian runner Dawit Wolde was named the winner after Dazza's disqualification.[16][19]
Key:
- Course record (in bold)
- Czech Republic championship race
Marathon
| 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 (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 | |
| 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.[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
| 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
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