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The 48th Istanbul Marathon, billed as the world’s only intercontinental marathon, took place Sunday, with runners setting off at 9:00 a.m. local time 250 meters (820 feet) behind the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge on the city’s Asian side and crossing the finish line at Sultanahmet Square.
Kenyan runner Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba won the men’s race in a course record, covering the 42.195-kilometer (26.2-mile) distance in 2:08:44. His time bettered the previous mark of 2:09:44, posted by compatriot Daniel Kibet in 2019.
Ethiopia’s Kasanesh Ayenew Baze won the women’s race in 2:24:40.
Among Turkish national athletes competing in the elite men’s category, Huseyin Can finished 11th in 2:17:53.
The elite category is the group of top professional runners who receive priority placement in the race.
The event featured 43 elite athletes, 16 women and 27 men.
Among the standout names in the men’s race were 2024 champion Dejene Debela, Amdework Walelegn and Sufaro Woliyi, while the women’s field included defending champion Bizuager Aderra, Judith Korir and Veronicah Maina.
A total of 45,679 people registered for the event, which featured a 42.195-kilometer race, a 15.5-kilometer (9.6-mile) race, a corporate run, a public run and wheelchair races.
Spor Istanbul, an affiliate of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), organized the race together with the IBB Youth and Sports Services Department, with Türkiye Is Bankasi serving as sponsor. Metropolitan municipalities act as the local authority running large cities. World Athletics lists the marathon in its “Gold Label” category.
Intercontinental marathons take runners from one continent to another, in this case from Asia to Europe. Spanning the Bosphorus Strait, the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge is a suspension crossing connecting the two continents, while Sultanahmet Square, a historic plaza, sits in Istanbul’s old city.
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