Beirut Marathon

{{short description|Annual event that takes place in Beirut, Lebanon}}

{{Infobox athletics race

| name = Beirut Marathon

| bgcolour = #ffffff

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| date = November

| location = Beirut, Lebanon

| type = Road

| distance = Marathon

| est = {{start date and age|2003|p=y}}

| record = Men: 2:10:34 (2023)
{{flagicon|ETH}} Gaddisa Dekeba
Women: 2:27:48 (2023)
{{flagicon|ETH}} Mulugojam Ambi

| sponsor = Aquafina

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.beirutmarathon.org/|Beirut Marathon}}

| participants = 48,605 (all races) (2018){{Cite web |url=https://www.beirutmarathon.org/#selection-2263.0-2263.188 |title = Beirut Marathon Association |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201007223135/https://www.beirutmarathon.org/#selection-2263.0-2263.188 |archive-date=7 October 2020 |url-status=dead}}
565 finishers (marathon) (2015){{Cite web |url=https://www.athlinks.com/event/34548/results/Event/494131/Course/734948/Bib/428#selection-331.3-331.6 |title=Rita Wehbeh's Race Results |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201029012957/https://www.athlinks.com/event/34548/results/Event/494131/Course/734948/Bib/428#selection-331.3-331.6 |archive-date=29 October 2020 |url-status=dead}}

}}

File:Beirut Marathon Runners 106th Bn (8189635611) (2).jpg

File:Maxfunds.jpg

The Beirut Marathon, is an annual event that takes place in Beirut, Lebanon, first held in 2003. It is a founding member of Asian Premier Marathons, and was accredited as a Silver Label Road Race by the IAAF.{{fact|date=December 2023}}

The marathons are managed by the Beirut Marathon Association, a non-profit non-governmental organization registered under the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Lebanon.{{cite web|url=http://www.beirutmarathon.org/about-bma/ |title=About BMA - Marathon |url-status=dead |access-date=2013-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222101314/http://www.beirutmarathon.org/about-bma/ |archive-date=2013-12-22 }} It is sponsored by the BLOM Bank.{{cite news|last1=Brune|first1=Adrian|title=Racing to Rebuild the Middle East|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2017-02-25/racing-rebuild-middle-east?cid=int-lea&pgtype=hpg|access-date=February 26, 2017|work=Foreign Affairs|date=February 25, 2017}} {{subscription required|via=Foreign Affairs}}

History

The race, created by businesswoman May El-Khalil, has the theme of unity at its core.{{r|iaaf.news}}

The first marathon was held on October 19, 2003 and attracted over 6,000 runners from 49 countries, and tens of thousands of Lebanese and international spectators.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/may_el_khalil_making_peace_is_a_marathon/transcript|title=Transcript of "Making peace is a marathon"|first=May|last=El-Khalil|website=www.ted.com|date=16 August 2013 }}

The 2010 edition of the men's race was won by the pacemaker Mohamed Temam. Hussein Awadah broke the Lebanese record at the race that year, completing the distance in at a time of 2:20:31.Butcher, Pat (2010-11-07). [http://www.iaaf.org/LRR10/news/newsid=58661.html Pacemaker Teman hangs on to win in Beirut]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.

In 2011, the course was altered to make it faster and easier to organise and the men's and women's record were both improved that year; Seada Kedir knocked over five minutes off the women's best time.[http://www.iaaf.org/LRR11/news/newsid=63008.html Course records fall in Beirut]. IAAF (2011-11-27). Retrieved on 2011-11-27.

The 2019 edition of the race was cancelled due to anti-government protests, with all registrants given the option of transferring their entry to 2020 or obtaining a refund.[https://web.archive.org/web/20200128150421/https://www.beirutmarathon.org/races.php Official announcement] accessed on 28th January 2020

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all who had transferred their entry from 2019 given the option of obtaining a refund.{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B_9_g9dDplD/ |title=Beirut Marathon on Instagram: "Friends, with a very heavy heart we inform you that the Beirut Marathon Association has suspended all its activities until further notice…" |website=www.instagram.com |access-date=26 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201029001303/https://www.instagram.com/p/B_9_g9dDplD/ |archive-date=29 October 2020 |url-status=dead}}

Other activities

Beirut Marathon Association also organizes their annual marathon village which was sponsored by Transmed in 2017.{{fact|date=December 2023}}

Community impact

The race reaches out to all sides of the political spectrum in Lebanon.{{r|iaaf.news}} The day's events also include a 3 km race for MPs of any political allegiance, as well as members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon stationed in the country.Butcher, Pat (2010-11-05). [https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/ethiopians-the-favourites-as-beiruts-unifying Ethiopians the favourites as Beirut's unifying Marathon celebrates its eighth edition]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-11-07.

Winners

Key:{{pad|5px}}{{legend2|#CCFFCC||border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}} Course record (in bold)

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
class="unsortable" | Ed.

! Date

! Male Winner

! Time{{efn|h:m:s|name="hms"}}

! Female Winner

! Time{{efn|name="hms"}}

! class="unsortable" | Rf.

1

| 19 October 2003

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Paul Rugut|KEN}}

| 2:17:04

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Jackline Torori|KEN}}

| 2:42:29

2

| 10 October 2004

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Eshetu Bekele|ETH}}

| 2:17:31

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Anastasia Ndereba|KEN}}

| 2:36:46

3

| 13 November 2005

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Francis Kamau|KEN}}

| 2:19:20

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Jane Omoro|KEN}}

| 2:42:19

4

| 3 December 2006

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Moses Kemboi|KEN}}

| 2:17:28

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Eunice Korir|KEN}}

| 2:49:25

5

| 18 November 2007

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Tamrat Elanso|ETH}}

| 2:19:46

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Beyene Adenech|ETH}}

| 2:41:24

6

| 30 November 2008

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Alemayehu Shumye|ETH}}

| 2:12:47

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Alemtsehay Hailu|ETH}}

| 2:37:20

7

| 6 December 2009

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mohammed Temam|ETH}}

| 2:16:12

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mihret Tadesse|ETH}}

| 2:42:41

8

| 7 November 2010

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mohammed Temam|ETH}}

| 2:16:43

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Etaferahu Tarekegne|ETH}}

| 2:41:15

9

| 27 November 2011

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Tariku Jufar|ETH}}

| 2:11:14

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Seada Kedir|ETH}}

| 2:31:38

10

| 11 November 2012

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Kedir Fekadu|ETH}}

| 2:12:57

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Seada Kedir|ETH}}

| 2:35:08

11

| 10 November 2013

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|William Kipsang|KEN}}

| 2:13:34

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Rehima Kedir|ETH}}

| 2:36:47

12

| 9 November 2014

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Fikadu Girma|ETH}}

| 2:12:26

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mulahabt Tsega|ETH}}

| 2:29:15

13

| 8 November 2015

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Jackson Limo|KEN}}

| 2:11:04

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Kaltoum Bouaasayriya|MAR}}

| 2:36:05

14

| 13 November 2016

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Edwin Kiptoo|KEN}}

| 2:13:19

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Tigist Girma|ETH}}

| 2:32:48

15

| 12 November 2017

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Dominic Ruto|KEN}}

| |2:10:42

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Eunice Chumba|BHR}}

| 2:28:38

16

| 11 November 2018

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mohamed El Aaraby|MAR}}

| 2:10:41

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Medina Armino|ETH}}

| 2:29:31

| {{Cite web|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/istanbul-beirut-hefei-guadalajara-marathons-2|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200915180059/https://www.worldathletics.org/news/report/istanbul-beirut-hefei-guadalajara-marathons-2|archive-date = 2020-09-15|title = Road round-up: Chepngetich storms through 2:19 barrier in Istanbul, Course records for el Aaraby in Beirut and Masai at Hefei | REPORT | World Athletics}}

{{sdash}}

| 10 November 2019

colspan="4" align="center" data-sort-value="" | cancelled due to anti-government protests{{r|2019.cancellation}}

| 8 November 2020

colspan="4" align="center" data-sort-value="" | cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic{{r|2019.cancellation}}{{r|2020.cancellation}}
17

| 14 November 2021

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Toni Hanna|LBN}}

| 2:33:03

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Chirine Njeim|LBN}}

| 3:00:18

18

| 13 November 2022

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mitku Dekeba|ETH}}

| 2:14:21

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mulugojam Ambi|ETH}}

| 2:28:57

19

| 12 November 2023

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Gaddisa Dekeba|ETH}}

| bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2:10:34

| align="left" | {{flagathlete|Mulugojam Ambi|ETH}}

| bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2:27:48

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}