This year’s Prague International Marathon will be even more full of stories than usual. In addition to the elite runners looking to attack the race records of 2:05:09 (men) and 2:19:46 (women), the marathon also becomes a last chance for runners to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris.
The IOC moved the qualification deadline by a few days so that Olympic hopefuls could have a last chance to make the standard at this traditional event in the calendar. So, in addition to Ethiopian or Kenyan endurance runners, the race will see elite competitors from China, Brazil, Mexico, Mongolia, Peru, Ecuador and India. There will also be some from Portugal and Bulgaria. In total, over 8,000 participants will take to the streets of Prague, and half of them will be from overseas. The 29th edition of this RunCzech event will start on Sunday at the Old Town Square from 9:00 a.m.
Prague and Copenhagen are the last opportunities to achieve the Olympic standard for the marathon. Both on May 5th.
— Fábio Lima (@FabiusLima1) May 1, 2024
♂️2:08:10
♀️2:26:50
Elite field Prague: https://t.co/wilB9EAEH9
Elite field Copenhagen: https://t.co/wZqvOngpIA pic.twitter.com/sNXrdhQgOr
The course record
The Prague International Marathon race record is a tough one to beat. Alexander Mutiso’s 2:05:09 from last year has set a high standard. However, there will be four runners at the start who have already run under 2:05:00. The fastest in the race is Herpasa Negasa Kitesa with a personal best of 2:03:40 from 2019 and a 2:04:49 from Seoul 2022. Having been hit by injury, Prague is the venue for his big comeback. Hot on his heels will be Lemi Berhanu Hayle, this year’s Mumbai Marathon winner, with a personal best from Dubai of 2:04:33. He recently learned that he is not on the Ethiopian team for the Olympic Games. “I’m very disappointed that I didn’t get a chance for Paris, but I want to win here. I’m very ready and I’d like to break the race record,” Hayle said at the press conference.
Favourites also include Abebe Negewo Degefa (2:04:51) and Abayneh Degu Tsehay (2:04:53). “This year we had a record performance at the Prague Half Marathon. If the weather is good, Prague has a chance to see a race with a time under 2:05:00 for the first time,” says Carlo Capalbo, president of the RunCzech organizing committee.