Jerusalem Marathon

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Annual race in Israel held since 2011

title: "Jerusalem Marathon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["marathons-in-israel", "sport-in-jerusalem", "recurring-sporting-events-established-in-2011", "annual-sporting-events-in-israel"] description: "Annual race in Israel held since 2011" topic_path: "geography/israel" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_Marathon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Annual race in Israel held since 2011 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox athletics race"]

FieldValue
bgcolour#6dbde4
imageJerusalem Marathon logo 2013.jpg
imagesize148px
dateMarch
locationJerusalem
typeRoad
distanceMarathon
est
(current era)
sponsorToto Winner
participants466 finishers (2022)
426 finishers (2021)
1,498 finishers (2019)
1,262 finishers (2018)
recordMen's: 2:16:09 (2014)
KEN Ronald Kurgat
Women's: 2:38:24 (2016)
KEN Joan Kigen
homepage
::

| bgcolour = #6dbde4 | image = Jerusalem Marathon logo 2013.jpg | imagesize = 148px | caption = | date = March | location = Jerusalem | type = Road | distance = Marathon | est = (current era) | sponsor = Toto Winner | participants = 466 finishers (2022) 426 finishers (2021) 1,498 finishers (2019) 1,262 finishers (2018) | record = Men's: 2:16:09 (2014) KEN Ronald Kurgat Women's: 2:38:24 (2016) KEN Joan Kigen | homepage = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Jerusalem_Marathon_2012_(6850303952).jpg" caption="Jerusalem Marathon, 2012"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Jerusalem_Marathon_2012_(6996428715).jpg" caption="Jerusalem mayor [[Nir Barkat]] running in 2012 marathon" alt="Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat at the 2012 marathon"] ::

The Jerusalem Marathon () is an annual marathon running event held in Jerusalem during the month of March or April. The course begins at Israel's parliament (the Knesset) and the Israel Museum, passes through Mount Scopus and the Old City, and finishes at Sacher Park. The course record in the men's category was set in 2014 by Kenyan runner Ronald Kimeli Kurgat, and the course record in the women's category was set in 2016 by Kenyan runner Joan Jepchirchir Kigen.

Races at shorter distances (a 21.1km half-marathon, 10km and 5km races, a family race of 1.7km and a community race of 800m) are held in conjunction with the marathon.

The 2025 marathon, held on April 4, was won by Semenovych Bogdan from Ukraine at 02:22:47 and for women by Salgong Pauline Jepkirui from Kenya at 02:51:58 with about 40,000 participants.

History

Prior to the formation of the current event in 2011, a Jerusalem Marathon was staged for three years running between 1992 and 1994. Half-marathon races were held in the city after that and a subsequent push from Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat resulted in the re-establishment of an international standard marathon in the city.

The marathon was reestablished in March 2011 and drew 10,000 participants from 40 countries. That year, the three leading runners in the men's race veered off course and arrived at the wrong finish line.

The 2012 event, which drew 15,000 runners including 1,500 from 50 countries outside Israel, was marked by rain, strong winds, and pounding hail.

In 2013, twenty thousand runners from 54 countries participated in the third Jerusalem Marathon. The Palestine Liberation Organization called for participants and sponsors to boycott the race in 2013.

In 2014, the number of participants rose to over 25,000.

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 obtaining a refund.

The 2024 edition was held in honour of the Israeli security forces. Saucony created the official race shoe, with IDF reservist Orr Sheizaf acting as the shoe brand's ambassador for the event. In September 2025, Saucony ended its sponsorship of the race after boycotts by groups in the UK running community.

Course

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Jerusalem_Marathon_2012_(6996425141).jpg" caption="Starting point, 2012"] ::

The starting point of the marathon is Israel's parliament, the Knesset, in the western part of the city. Runners thence loop around the Giv'at Ram campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, pass alongside the Valley of the Cross, and cross through various neighborhoods on their way up to Hebrew University's Mount Scopus campus in eastern Jerusalem. The route then descends to the Old City, taking runners through Jaffa Gate and the Armenian Quarter and out Zion Gate, on their way to the Jerusalem Forest. The race's finishing point is Sacher Park. Jerusalem's hilly terrain makes the marathon especially challenging.

Winners

Key: Course record (in bold)

Initial era

::data[format=table]

Ed.YearMen's WinnerTimeWomen's WinnerTimeRf.
11992Cai Shangyan2:30:34Wu Mei2:50:23
21993Hassan Sebtaoui2:25:53Dominique Rembert3:03:52
31994Hassan Sebtaoui2:38:05Tatyana Leonova3:02:16
::

Current era

::data[format=table]

Ed.YearMen's WinnerTimeWomen's WinnerTimeRf.
12011Raymond Kipkoech2:26:44Oda Worknesh2:50:05
22012David Toniok2:19:52Mihret Anamo2:48:38
32013Abraham Kabeto2:16:30Mihret Anamo2:47:27
42014Ronald Kurgat2:16:09Alemtsehay Mesfin2:47:24
52015Tadesse Yae2:18:20Joan Kigen2:45:55
62016Shadrack Kipkosgei2:16:33Joan Kigen2:38:24
72017Shadrack Kipkogey2:17:35Emily Samoei2:49:25
82018Shadrack Kipkogey2:21:26Emily Samoei2:52:33
92019Ronald Kurgat2:18:47Nancy Kimaiyo2:44:50
2020cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic
102021Yimer Getahun2:24:07Anna Prais3:25:50
112022Noah Kigen2:18:13Margaret Njuguna2:52:44
122023Ageze Guadie2:37:17Valentyna Veretska2:45:54title=Jerusalem Marathon 2022: Ukrainian refugee wins full marathon
132024Jember Melkamu2:35:39Noah Berkman2:55:42
142025Bohdan Semenovych2:22:47Pauline Jepkirui2:51:58
::

Other records

Notes

References

References

  1. "Results - Jerusalem Marathon 2019". 4sport-live.com.
  2. "Results - Jerusalem Marathon 2018". 4sport-live.com.
  3. (21 January 2024). "Jerusalem’s annual marathon to run as usual, despite Hamas war".
  4. https://www.4sport-live.com/results/home2/?event=3847&lan=E&clean=0
  5. [https://more.arrs.run/raceSeries/3762 Jerusalem Marathon]. [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  6. [https://archive.org/stream/TheJerusalemPost1994IsraelEnglish/Oct%2013%201994%2C%20The%20Jerusalem%20Post%2C%20%2318787%2C%20Israel%20%28en%29_djvu.txt Sebtaoui to defend JTem Marathon win England, Romania draw]. ''The Jerusalem Post Magazine'' (1994-10-13). Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  7. Baskin, Rebecca. (20 January 2010). "First Jerusalem marathon to be held in 2011". [[The Jerusalem Post]].
  8. Queenann, Gavriel. (25 March 2011). "Diverse Crowd Gathers for First Jerusalem Marathon". [[Arutz Sheva]].
  9. Chase, Chris. (25 March 2011). "Jerusalem's first-ever marathon ends with wrong turn". [[Yahoo! News]].
  10. Davidovich, Joshua. (16 March 2012). "Kenyan slogs out Jerusalem marathon win through soggy weather". [[The Times of Israel]].
  11. Ward, Harold. (16 March 2012). "Thousands brave rain, wind for Jerusalem marathon". [[Agence France-Presse.
  12. Eli, Yossi. (1 March 2013). "מרתון ירושלים: 20 אלף רצים מ-54 מדינות". [[Nrg Maariv]].
  13. Hamilton, Michelle (2013-02-27). [https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20793111/plo-calls-for-boycott-of-jerusalem-marathon/]. ''Runner's World''. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  14. Hasson, Nir. (2014-03-21). "Marathon fever hits Jerusalem: 25,000 runners take to the streets". [[Haaretz]].
  15. "Home Page - Jerusalem Marathon - מרתון ירושלים".
  16. "Jerusalem cancels 2020 marathon".
  17. "New Date - Jerusalem Marathon - מרתון ירושלים".
  18. "Jerusalem Marathon postponed over coronavirus".
  19. (2024-02-14). "Jerusalem Marathon unveils official SAUCONY shoe {{!}} The Jerusalem Post".
  20. "US sports brand Saucony drops sponsorship of Jerusalem Marathon".
  21. "Clubs boycott Saucony Run Shoreditch 10km over event sponsor’s links to Israel – Hackney Citizen".
  22. Pazornik, Amanda. (27 January 2011). "Jerusalem hills won't faze local marathon runners". [[Jweekly]].
  23. "Interactive course map". [[Municipality of Jerusalem]].
  24. Yalon, Yori. (7 March 2012). "A run through Zion". [[Israel HaYom]].
  25. [https://more.arrs.run/race/55181 1992 Jerusalem Marathon]. [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  26. [https://more.arrs.run/race/129834 1993 Jerusalem Marathon]. [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  27. [https://more.arrs.run/race/138684 1994 Jerusalem Marathon]. [[Association of Road Racing Statisticians]]. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  28. (25 March 2011). "Three Kenyans sweep Jerusalem marathon". [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
  29. Kuttler, Hillel. (16 March 2012). "Ethiopian immigrant is top Jewish finisher in Jerusalem Marathon". [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
  30. (1 March 2013). "East Africans, American clinch six top spots in Jerusalem race". [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
  31. "Jerusalem, Israel. 17th March, 2017. SHADRACK KIPKOGEY of Kenya finishes in first place with a time of 2:17:35 and is greeted by Jerusalem Mayor NIR BARKAT at the finish line of the 7th Jerusalem International Marathon. 30,000 runners ran various distances in the 7th Jerusalem International Marathon among them more than 3,000 participants from over 60 countries around the world. Credit: Nir Alon/Alamy Live News Stock Photo - Alamy".
  32. "Winners of AIMS events in 2017".
  33. "4sport | Jerusalem Marathon 2018 - תוצאות".
  34. "4sport | Jerusalem Marathon 2019 - תוצאות".
  35. "4sport | Jerusalem Marathon 2021 - תוצאות".
  36. (17 March 2023). "Over 40,000 people take part in Jerusalem Winner Marathon".
  37. (25 March 2022). "Jerusalem Marathon 2022: Ukrainian refugee wins full marathon". The Jerusalem Post.
  38. "2024 Jerusalem Marathon results at 4sport-live.com".
  39. "2025 Jerusalem Marathon results at 4sport-live.com".

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marathons-in-israelsport-in-jerusalemrecurring-sporting-events-established-in-2011annual-sporting-events-in-israel