Runners from over 40 nations participated in Jerusalem’s inaugural international marathon on Friday, March 25th, 2011. The Jerusalem Marathon 2011 welcomed over 10,000 participants, including over 1000 from overseas, for a variety of courses ranging from a full marathon, to half-marathon, 10K and a 4.2 K “fun-run” options.
Despite forecasts for rain, the weather remained perfect throughout the race, with cooler than normal temperatures and partly-cloudy skies offering the ideal conditions for runners of all levels.
While the unique geography of Jerusalem presented challenges for some participants, the runners welcomed the chance to compete in a setting of unparalleled natural and cultural beauty unlike any other international marathon course. The course allowed runners to enjoy spectacular views and see the city’s best known sites including, among others, the Knesset, the Old City, Sultan's Pool, Mount Zion, the German Colony, the Jerusalem Promenade and the Mount of Olives.
The winners of the race reflected the international flavor of the completion with the top field being represented by competitors from Kenya, Ethiopia and Poland. Winning the race was Raymond Kipkoechh, 34, of Kenya with a time of 2:26:44. Second place was taken by Mutai Kopkorir, 24 of Kenya with a time of 2:26:55 and in third was Kiman Njorage, 33 also of Kenya with a time of 2:27:19. The winning female runner was Oda Worknesh, 26 from Ethiopia with a time of 2:50:05. Second was Rosaline David, 35 from Kenya with a time of 2:50:06 and third, Wioletta Kryza, 42, from Poland at 2:51:21.
Ms. Kryza of Poland conceded that this mark was a bit off her best time but said, “In Jerusalem it wasn’t all about establishing records but about the experience of running in one of the world’s most beloved cities.”
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who ran the half-marathon and was one of the event’s principle organizers, said that it was a historic day for the city. “The fact that over 10,000 people came together in a spirit of athletics and sportsmanship and were able to experience the greatness of Jerusalem is a source of great pride for our city and our country.”
Through an initiative of the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem Development Authority and Israel's Ministry of Tourism, runners from abroad received special deals at restaurants, museums and other local attractions. More than 4,000 overnight hotel stays were recorded for the week of the marathon and some 45 foreign sports journalists, including Eurosport, came to cover the event. As the official sponsoring airline of the Jerusalem Marathon, EL AL Israel Airways was responsible for coordinating flight arrangements for hundreds of the runners who arrived in Israel from all corners of the world. Numerous local and international charities used the race as an occasion to raise funds and organizers say that several hundred thousand dollars were raised as a result of the marathon.
The marathon was preceded by a three-day Health and Fitness expo at the International Convention Center, which set the tone for the marathon event, offering thousands of sports enthusiasts from Israel and overseas information on health and sports nutrition, lectures, stalls selling sports gear and much more. Thousands of runners took advantage of the free pasta dinner on the evening before the run.
Preparations are already underway for the 2012 Jerusalem Marathon which will take place on March 16, 2012. “We firmly believe that this event will be another factor in making Jerusalem a choice destination for millions of tourists around the world,” Mayor Barkat noted. “We know that our city is defined by culture, history and spirituality and we are proud that through events like these we can add athletics to the list of reasons why people can come and experience the magic of Jerusalem.”
The Jerusalem International Marathon 2011 was sponsored by, among others, the Israel Ministry of Tourism, The Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Jerusalem Development Authority, El Al and Adidas.
www.jerusalem-marathon.com
