More than 30, 000 people including 2, 600 runners from 65 countries around the world participated in the Sixth International Jerusalem Marathon this morning, Friday 18 March 2016.
There was a new women’s record set by winning female runner Joan Kigen (38) of Kenya, who finished with a time of 2:38:30, slicing more than 7 seconds off the previous women’s record for the course, 2:45:55, which she set last year. In second place in the women’s race was Alemtsehay Demse (30) from Ethiopia with a time of2:44:49, and in third place was Sarah Kebaso (32) with a time of 2:50:35, both from Kenya.
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The winning male runner in the Full Marathon was Kipkogey
Shadrack (25) of Kenya who came in at 2:16:33, and crossed the line neck and neck with Ronald Kurgat who registered at 2:16:35. Ronald, also from Kenya maintains the record for the course (2:16:09) which he set in 2014. In third place was Mourice Musyoki also of Kenya with a time of 2:21:06.
The fastest male Israeli was Or Shilon with a time of 2:51:59, and the fastest Israeli female was Alex Sloan with a time of 3:23:20.
The first race to get under way was the Half Marathon, which had over 4, 000 runners, followed by the Full 42.2KM Marathon which had around 2, 000 runners participating. The event also included a hand bike race for disabled participants, and a 10km race which had more than 10, 000 runners, and a 5km with around 3, 000 participants. In addition there were a range of community and family races.
The Marathon was an important event for tourism to the city with more than an estimated 10, 000 extra hotel nights booked in the city around the event.
Ilanit Melchior, Jerusalem Development Authority’s Director of Tourism said she was delighted by the success of the event. She said, “Once again we have seen records broken, both on the track, and in the record number of participants from Israel around the world. Among the 2, 600 runners from 65 countries who came for the marathon were people from as far as Brazil and New Zealand, and as close as Egypt and Jordan, in addition to more than 60 journalists and bloggers from around the world who came to cover the event. Also, this year we had more and more people running for good causes and in support of charities, and a wonderful response from so many families and groups who ran together.”
She noted, “The impact on the extra tourism to the city, including more than 10, 000 additional hotel nights, is tremendously encouraging. We are already looking forward to next year.”
The races began at the start line just below Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. Runners in the Full Marathon then looped around the Giv’at Ram campus of the Hebrew University, passed alongside the Valley of the Cross, and crossed through various neighbourhoods on their way up to Hebrew University’s Mount Scopus campus. The route then descended 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 was in Sacher Park.
