Brussels Marathon Explained

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Date:Late October or early November
Location:Brussels Capital Region and Tervuren, Belgium
Distance:Marathon, half marathon
Est:
Sponsor:Brussels Airport
Record:Men's: 2:11:00 (2004)
John Kelai
Women's: 2:32:16 (2004)
Jennifer Chesinon
Participants:6,276 (2019)

The Brussels Marathon is an annual AIMS-certified marathon held in Brussels, Belgium, first held in 1984, and usually held in the autumn. Races of shorter distances are also held on the same day.

History

The full race was first held in 1984.

The race was not held from 1995 to 2003.[1]

In 2004, the race was restarted as part of the ING Running Tour, organized by ING Belgium and the Royal Belgian Athletics League.[2] [3]

Public controversy arose in social networks in 2017, where podium awards appeared and differed significantly between females and males. Following a change of sponsorship by Brussels Airport in 2018, the organisers (Golazo Sports) announced that awards would be aligned equally for both sexes. In 2018, the organisers defended the non-publication of full race results including category positions on the grounds of recent changes in European privacy laws, although inconsistent with standard practice as well as the publication of other race results by the same organiser.[4]

The 2020 edition of the race was postponed to 3 October 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium, with all entries automatically remaining valid for 2021.[5]

Course

The marathon makes a loop, starting and ending in the City of Brussels, in the proximity of Brussels Park.[6] Initially the runners head eastwards, to Tervuren. Alongside the track, the participants pass several green areas: the Cinquantenaire Park, the Woluwe Park, the Capuchin Forest, the Royal Belgian Golf Club and the Bois de la Cambre. Since 2017, the course has started and finished in the Cinquantenaire Park, initially heading west anti-clockwise around the city, with the full marathon deviating out-and-back to Tervuren. Since 2018, the start and finish has coincided with the more renowned 20 km of Brussels held in May.

Additional distances

A half marathon, a Mini Marathon (6.5 km) and a Kids Run (1 km) are also held.

Qualification

The full Brussels Marathon is open to runners 18 or older from any nation. Competitors for the half marathon have to be at least 16 years of age.

Attendance

More people participate in the half marathon than in the full marathon. As of 2014, the half marathon had its largest attendance in 2012 with 8006 participants, and the full Brussels Marathon had its largest attendance in 2010 with 2546 runners.[7]

Environmental impact

In response to increasing public concerns on the amount of unnecessary waste at such public sports events, the organisers are aiming at a plastic-free event from 2019 onwards, with drinking water served in cardboard cups, no goody bags and avoiding the need for aluminium foil protection after the race by ensuring participants' sports bags are readily accessible.

Winners

Source:

Key: Course record (in bold)

Marathon

Initial era

Date Race name Male Winner Time Female Winner TimeFinishersRf.
1984.09.30Brussels2:18:462:44:431815[8]
1985.09.29Brussels2:18:362:46:371441
1986.09.28Brussels2:15:322:42:02
1987.09.27Brussels2:18:052:33:331439
1988.09.11Brussels2:16:532:44:121161
1989.09.24Brussels2:16:462:36:491271
1990.09.30Spa Brussels2:17:362:40:00
1991.09.15Brussels2:18:042:41:32
1992.09.13Brussels2:16:432:42:13
1993.09.12Brussels2:16:142:44:29
1994.09.18Reebok Brussels2:12:593:03:02

Current era

Ed.<-- edition numbering used on race site restarted with 2004 edition -->Date Race name Male Winner Time Female Winner TimeFinishersRf.
12004.10.10 ING Brussels 2:11:00 2:32:161801
22005.08.28 ING Brussels 2:12:01 2:37:48784
32006.08.27 ING Brussels 2:11:26 2:42:53819
42007.10.14 ING Brussels 2:12:16 2:41:201476[9] [10]
52008.10.05 Brussels 2:19:29 3:15:511149
62009.10.04 Brussels 2:15:13 3:07:121569
72010.10.10 Brussels 2:13:30 2:59:161998
82011.10.02 Brussels 2:14:51 3:00:011553
92012.10.07 Brussels 2:16:41 3:06:151709
102013.10.06 Brussels 2:15:49 3:10:211794
112014.10.05 Belfius Brussels 2:16:31 2:56:261885
122015.10.04 Belfius Brussels 2:14:39 3:05:312011
132016.10.02 Belfius Brussels 2:16:51 2:53:421427
142017.10.01 Belfius Brussels 2:11:44 3:10:421437
152018.10.28Brussels Airport 2:24:20 2:57:591608
162019.10.06Brussels Airport 2:17:53 2:54:481343
2020postponed due to coronavirus pandemic-
2021postponed due to coronavirus pandemic-
172022.10.02Brussels Airport 2:14:13 3:10:161080
182023.10.01Brussels Airport 2:15:31 2:50:501381

Half marathon

Ed.DateMen's winnerTimeWomen's winnerTimeRf.
1 2005.08.28 1:06:45 1:23:42
2 2006.08.27 1:07:16 1:18:53
3 2007.10.14 1:07:03 1:28:08
4 2008.10.05 1:08:41 1:26:25
5 2009.10.04 1:12:16 1:20:49
6 2010.10.10 1:09:24 1:22:36
7 2011.10.02 1:08:36 1:27:42
8 2012.10.07 1:09:49 1:19:05
9 2013.10.06 1:09:50 1:22:39
10 2014.10.05 1:08:35 1:21:57
11 2015.10.04 1:09:04 1:23:53
12 2016.10.02 1:08:57 1:20:27
13 2017.10.01 1:08:07 1:18:47
14 2018.10.28 1:09:58 1:23:58
15 2019.10.06 1:07:16 1:20:52
2020 postponed due to coronavirus pandemic
2021 postponed due to coronavirus pandemic
16 2022.10.02 1:07:33 1:26:46
17 2023.10.01 1:11:12 1:20:56

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ARRS - Race series: Brussels . more.arrs.run . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201105061023/https://more.arrs.run/raceSeries/65 . 5 November 2020 . dead.
  2. Web site: Ligue Royale Belge d'Athlétisme - ING RunningTour 2004 . 2004-10-29 . 2004-10-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041029102400/http://www.ingrunningtour.be/showdoc.jsp?docid=042819_FR&menopt=org%7Clrb . live .
  3. Web site: ATHLÉTISME Un marathon à Bruxelles en 2004 - le Soir . www.lesoir.be . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201105060807/https://www.lesoir.be/art/athletisme-un-marathon-a-bruxelles-en-2004_t-20031022-Z0NNQJ.html . 5 November 2020 . dead.
  4. Web site: GDPR. 4 November 2018 . Running Geek BE. 4 Nov 2018.
  5. Web site: Brussels Airport Marathon & Half Marathon - October 4, 2020 . brusselsairportmarathon.be . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200711200458/https://brusselsairportmarathon.be/en/faq/ . 11 July 2020 . dead.
  6. Web site: Parcours. Belfius Brussels Marathon 2014. 27 Sep 2014.
  7. Web site: Uitslagen. Belfius Brussels Marathon 2014. 27 Sep 2014.
  8. Web site: Ml_1984 . arrs.run . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201104003803/https://arrs.run/MaraList/ML_1984.htm . 4 November 2020 . dead.
  9. Web site: ChronoRace - Electronic Timing - Chronométrage électronique et service de traitement de données . www.chronorace.be . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201104005006/http://www.chronorace.be/classements/listerapports.aspx?eventId=109 . 4 November 2020 . dead.
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20201104004951if_/https://crdev.blob.core.windows.net/files/1480.xls Results