World Athletics has unveiled plans to establish a dedicated World Marathon Championships beginning in 2030, marking a major shift in how the sport’s premier distance event is contested globally.
The marathon discipline — traditionally a marquee part of the biennial World Athletics Championships — will continue to feature in the 2027 and 2029 editions before moving to its own annual competition from 2030, with men’s and women’s races held in alternate years.
The governing body is in talks with Athens, Greece, as a likely host for the inaugural standalone marathon event, recognising the city’s historic connection to the origins of the marathon.
Under the new structure, the marathon will no longer be included in the World Athletics Championships from 2031 onwards, allowing it to have a distinct place on the athletics calendar. Alongside this change, the existing annual Road Running Championships will continue to be held as a separate event.
World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe described the initiative as an opportunity to create a global celebration of marathon running that honours both the sport’s heritage and its modern competitive spirit.
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