Chisinau Marathon has reached a milestone: the 10th start will be held in September! Let's remember where the most colorful running festival in Moldova started and how it developed, in order to run to new achievements.
What the marathon has brought
Chisinau Marathon has become an important event for the whole of Moldova. It changes the lives of people, the capital, the country, the society.
For some people, the marathon helped them adopt a healthy lifestyle. For others, it has brought them new friends, inspired them to new achievements and helped them to believe in their own strength. Thanks to the marathon, a large number of people have been able to become a better version of themselves.
Since the first start, Chisinau began to transform from a provincial town into a small and comfortable European capital with something to be proud of. Chisinau Marathon has become a source of pride, because not every country can boast its own international marathon.
Thanks to the Chisinau Marathon, people from dozens of countries discovered Moldova and fell in love with our country.
How Chisinau Marathon was forged
- Before the Chisinau Marathon, a 42 km and 195 meters race was held in Chisinau back in 1986.
- On 26 April 2015, the public association Sporter organized the first Chisinau International Marathon and turned it into an annual event. Athletes were offered three competitive distances: 42 kilometers, 21 kilometers and 10 kilometers. At the same time, the first edition of the 3 km Fun Run was organized. The first marathon attracted 10,000 people!
- 2016: already 15,000 participants took to the start line. This confirmed once again that we need a marathon in Chisinau. For the first time the children's race was held.
- 2017: the marathon was rescheduled for autumn. A new race distance was added: 5 kilometers. The geography of participants has already covered more than 50 countries!
- 2018: the year of records. 18,000 athletes took the start, one in nine of whom came from abroad. Kenyan runner Benjamin Kiprop Serem set a course record: 42 kilometers in 2 hours 16 minutes and 38 seconds. Maxim Raileanu set the half marathon course record: 21 kilometers in 1:06:12. And so that wheelchair athletes could also participate, a special distance was opened for them - Marathon for All.
- 2019: The fifth anniversary “High Five” attracted even more participants, and the special children's races were named “KIDS RUN DAY”.
- 2020: pandemic restrictions made changes in the organization - on September 27, at 9:00 am, runners from all over the world came out to run the Online Chisinau International Marathon.
- 2021: the marathon was the first large-scale sports event after a year and a half of pandemic. Participants and fans were even offered free rapid coronavirus testing.
- 2022: paying tribute to the kindness and hospitality of the people of Moldova, the organizers named the biggest and brightest running event in the country the “Chisinau Big Hearts Marathon”.
- 2023: Chisinau Marathon has become a landmark of unity for people. Athletes ran under the motto: "Marathon is more than running. It is proof that we are united". The organizers donated part of the registration fees to the Association Life without Leukaemia for the little patients in the Paediatric Oncology Department of the Oncology Institute.
What’s next
What's next will be even more exciting! Since the first start, Chisinau Marathon has reached level 10 and has learned to gather tens of thousands of athletes from dozens of countries. And everyone who decides to join this sporting celebration gets a grade 10 experience, as they get an incredible celebration with unforgettable energy and excitement. And a finisher's medal is not just about running a marathon. It also means 10 points for strength, willpower and determination.
Go run the marathon! We are happy to see again at the starting line those who have already run the Chisinau Marathon and we will warmly greet the newcomers. Even if you've never run before, open up the huge space of possibilities that the marathon offers - the 10th anniversary start is a great reason to do so. Choose a 5, 10, 21 or 42 km distance, register, start training and become the person you've always dreamed of being.
