Skopje Marathon

Skopje Marathon
Start of marathon and half marathon race in 2012
DateEarly May
LocationSkopje, North Macedonia North Macedonia
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon, Half marathon, 5K run
Primary sponsorWizz Air
Established2008
Course recordsMen's: 2:12:36 (2016)
Kenya Kiprotich Kirui
Women's: 2:33:37 (2019)
Kenya Eunice Muchiri
Official siteOfficial website
Participants125 (2021)
98 (2020)
256 (2019)

The Skopje Marathon (Macedonian: Скопски маратон) is an annual marathon held in Skopje, North Macedonia. Marathon is held in October from 2020.

History

The first marathon race in Skopje was organized in 1997. It only lasted for that year and the following year before folding, primarily for financial reasons.[1] After a nine-year break, in 2007, the event was partially revived with a half marathon-only race, and then fully restored in 2008, when three races were run: marathon, half marathon, and a 5K humanitarian race. Erwan Fouéré, European Union Special Representative for the country, helped spark the revival.[2]

Since 2009, the race has been a member race of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS).[3]

In 2012, the Skopje Marathon became one of the most significant sporting events in the Republic of Macedonia, as more than 3,600 runners from more than 36 countries attended.[4] That year, the marathon was in the list of Qualifying Marathon Races for the Olympic Games in London.[5]

The 2013 Skopje Marathon featured a full marathon, a half marathon, and a 5K race, and took place on 12 May 2013.[6]

The 2015 edition canceled due to the 2015 Macedonian protests.[7]

The 2020 edition of the race was postponed to 2020.10.04 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North Macedonia, with registrants also having the option of either running the race virtually or transferring their entry to another runner or 2021.[8]

Past winners

  Course record

Edition Year Men's winner Nationality Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Nationality Time (h:m:s)
16th 2024 Hillary Chemweno  Kenya 2:13:28 Irine Jeruto  Kenya 2:37:52
15th 2023 Victor Serem  Kenya 2:15:09 Ruth Matebo  Kenya 2:44:17
14th [9] 2022 Onesmus Kiplimo  Kenya 2:18:12 Catherine Cherotich  Kenya 2:38:41
13th 2021 Dario Ivanovski  North Macedonia 2:21:27 Adrijana Pop Arsova  North Macedonia 2:40:36
12th 2020 Serhiy Shevchenko  Ukraine 2:22:49 Luiza Gega  Albania 2:35:34
11th 2019 Tiruneh Chalachev  Ethiopia 2:15:37 Eunice Muchiri  Kenya 2:33:37
10th 2018 Evans Biwott  Kenya 2:14:08 Jedidah Karungu  Kenya 2:51:24
9th 2017 Kiprotich Kirui  Kenya 2:12:59 Stella Barsosio  Kenya 2:33:42
8th 2016 Kiprotich Kirui  Kenya 2:12:36 Gladys Biwott  Kenya 2:40:10
– 2015 Cancelled due to security concerns.[10]
7th 2014 Emmanuel Samal  Kenya 2:14:26 Lucy Murigi  Kenya 2:37:47
6th 2013 Wycliffe Biwott  Kenya 2:21:56 Caroline Kipruto  Kenya 2:48:39
5th 2012 Patrick Wambugu  Kenya 2:26:41 Cecilia Wangui  Kenya 2:54:56
4th 2011 Dickson Terer[4][11]  Kenya 2:23:51 Cecilia Wangui  Kenya 2:50:06
3rd 2010 Tamás Tóth[12]  Hungary 2:28:56 Lucia Kimani  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2:55:56
2nd 2009 Sreten Ninković[13]  Serbia 2:29:07 Marija Vrajić  Croatia 2:56:15
1st 2008 Roman Prodius[14]  Moldova 2:29:26 Lidija Mikloš  Montenegro 3:19:34

References

  1. ^ Distance Running Magazine from July–September 2010, page 17-18
  2. ^ Скопскиот маратон ита кон елитата, Dnevnik (Skopje) (in Macedonian), Retrieved November 10, 2010
  3. ^ AIMS Macedonia Races. AIMS. Retrieved on 2012-05-11.
  4. ^ a b "May 2012 AIMS Results". aimsworldrunning.org. Archived from the original on 2012-05-13.
  5. ^ "Qualifying Marathon Races in 2012 for OLYMPIC GAMES in London" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Skopje Marathon, Macedonia, on 12th May 2013". Skopje Marathon Listing. Race-Calendar.com. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  7. ^ May 2015. AIMS. Retrieved on 2015-05-17.
  8. ^ "The 16th edition of the Wizz Air Skopje Marathon is postponed to October 4th 2020 | Wizz Air Skopje Marathon | Wizz Air Skopje Marathon".
  9. ^ Skopjemarathon.com. 2022. Skopje Marathon. [online] Available at: <http://www.skopjemarathon.com/> [Accessed 6 October 2022].
  10. ^ "Skopje Marathon Cancelled: Hundreds Gather at the Start Line". Independent.mk. May 10, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  11. ^ (8 May 2011) Кенијците поставија нови рекорди на патеката, Dnevnik (in Macedonian), Retrieved May 8, 2011
  12. ^ (10 May 2010) Унгарецот Тамаш Тот победник на Скопскиот маратон, Utrinski vesnik (in Macedonian), Retrieved November 10, 2010
  13. ^ (11 May 2009)Нинковиќ и Врајиќ најбрзи на Скопскиот маратон, Nova Makedonija (in Macedonian), Retrieved November 10, 2010
  14. ^ (12 May 2008) Димовска со нов македонски рекорд на Скопскиот Маратон Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine, Athletic Federation of Macedonia (in Macedonian), Retrieved November 10, 2010