Jerusalem Marathon


The Jerusalem Marathon is an annual marathon running event held in Jerusalem during the month of March. The course begins at Israel's parliament, 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.

History

Prior to the formation of the current event in 2011, a Jerusalem Marathon was staged for three years running between 1992–1994. 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 first full 42.2-kilometer race took place 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. Twenty thousand runners from 54 countries participated in the third Jerusalem Marathon in 2013. The number rose to over 25,000 in the 2014 race.
The 2020 edition of the race was postponed to October due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Features

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.
The religious and ethnic diversity of the Jerusalem Marathon led one Haaretz reporter to describe the race as "the most cosmopolitan event around". Races at shorter distances and a fun run are held in conjunction with the marathon.

Past winners

EditionYearMen's winnerTime Women's winnerTime Ref
1st19922:30:342:50:23
2nd19932:25:533:03:52
3rd19942:38:053:02:16

Key:
EditionYearMen's winnerTime Women's winnerTime Ref
1st20112:26:442:50:05
2nd20122:19:522:48:38
3rd20132:16:302:47:27
4th20142:16:092:47:24
5th20152:18:202:45:55
6th20162:16:332:38:24
7th20172:17:352:49:25
8th20182:21:262:52:33
9th20192:18:472:44:50

Other records: