Ljubljana Marathon

In today's world, Ljubljana Marathon has become a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide range of individuals, organizations and communities. With the passage of time, Ljubljana Marathon has gained importance and attention, generating debates, research and discussions in different areas. Whether due to its impact on society, its relevance in academia, its influence on popular culture or its relevance in history, Ljubljana Marathon continues to be a topic of constant interest and discussion. In this article, we will explore different aspects of Ljubljana Marathon, from its origin to its present day, analyzing its impact and relevance in various contexts.

For the upcoming race, see NLB 29. Ljubljana Marathon 2025.
Ljubljana Marathon
DateThird Sunday in October
LocationLjubljana, Slovenia
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Primary sponsorNLB d.d.
Established1996 (1996)
Course recordsMen's: 2:04:58 (2018)
Ethiopia Sisay Lemma
Women's: 2:20:17 (2024)
Ethiopia Joyce Chepkemoi Tele
Official siteLjubljana Marathon
Participants2,246 finishers (2024)
1,611 (2023)
1,208 (2022)

The Ljubljana Marathon is the largest running event in Slovenia, organized annually since 1996 by the City of Ljubljana and implemented by the Timing Ljubljana Association. It takes place every year on the third weekend in October. The main event is the Heineken 0.0 Marathon (42 km), and there are also the Generali ZAME Half Marathon (21 km), the Garmin Run 10 km, all on Sunday. The Saturday program is intended for younger people: preschoolers, School Runs (for students and high school students), and a charity run. From 2024, the general sponsor is NLB d.d.

History

October 27, 1996, was not an ordinary day for Ljubljana. This actually only became apparent years later, but that day a seed was sown that successfully sprouted and began to grow more than anyone could have imagined. Those who had been working for it for several years knew the role of marathon events in large cities and therefore could imagine that the Ljubljana Marathon could eventually grow into something bigger. On that beautiful Sunday morning, the streets of Ljubljana were first taken over by runners, 673 in total. In 2024, a total of 21,242 runners participated in the NLB Ljubljana Marathon.

The largest was the Ljubljana Marathon in 2015, when a total of 24,372 runners ran.

Course

External images
image icon Course map of full marathon in 2015[1]
image icon Course map of full marathon in 2019[2]
Profile of full marathon in 2015

The start is on Slovenska cesta near Figovec (Trg Ajdovščina), all routes are circular (in one circle), flat, and the finish is at Kongresni trg.

Other races

Teenagers running on Slovenia Street in front of Hotel Slon, 2013

In addition to the marathon, a half marathon (21.098 km (13.110 mi)), a 10K run, a fun run (3.150 km (1.957 mi)), and a free run for kids (200 m (660 ft)) are organised.[3][4][5] A number of races of different lengths for schoolchildren of different ages are also held.[3]

Winners

Finish line in 2015
The 11th Ljubljana Marathon
Total participants in all races

Key:    Course record

Year Men's winner Time[a] Women's winner Time[a] Rf.
2024  Getaneh Molla (ETH) 2:06:29  Joyce Chepkemoi Tele (KEN) 2:20:17 [6]
2023  Edmond Kipngetich (KEN) 2:06:47  Gerado Senbeta Zinash (ETH) 2:21:05
2022  Gebretsadik Abraha (ETH) 2:06:09  Dagne Siranesh Yirga (ETH) 2:21:08 [7]
2021  Ernest Tarus (KEN) 2:22:39  Grace Momanyi (KEN) 2:38:10
2020 postponed due to coronavirus pandemic [8]
2019  Kelkile Gezahegn (ETH) 2:07:29  Bornes Chepkirui (KEN) 2:21:26
2018  Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:04:58  Visiline Jepkesho (KEN) 2:22:58
2017  Marius Kimutai (BHR) 2:08:33  Shuko Genemo (ETH) 2:27:02
2016  Laban Mutai (KEN) 2:09:16  Purity Changwony (KEN) 2:29:32| [b]
2015  Limenih Getachew (ETH) 2:08:19  Melkam Gizaw (ETH) 2:25:42
2014  Ishhimael Chemtan (KEN) 2:08:25  Janet Rono (KEN) 2:29:16
2013  Mulugeta Wami (ETH) 2:10:26  Caroline Chepkwony (KEN) 2:27:27 [10]
2012  Berhanu Shiferaw (ETH) 2:09:40  Workenesh Tola (ETH) 2:30:45
2011  Daniel Too (KEN) 2:08:25  Lydia Kurgat (KEN) 2:33:01 [11][12]
2010  Evans Ruto (KEN) 2:10:17  Tiruwork Mekonnen (ETH) 2:37:16
2009  William Biama (KEN) 2:10:12  Caroline Kilel (KEN) 2:25:24
2008  Abraham Mulu (ETH) 2:14:41  Tetyana Mezentseva (UKR) 2:37:13
2007  Oleksandr Sitkovskyy (UKR) 2:12:49  Tetyana Filonyuk (UKR) 2:34:58
2006  Joachim Nshimirimana (BDI) 2:14:14  Inga Juodeškiene (LTU) 3:01:55
2005  Samuel Nganga (KEN) 2:15:47  Daneja Grandovec (SLO) 2:50:42
2004  Joachim Nshimirimana (BDI) 2:13:31  Yelena Razdrogina (RUS) 2:46:30
2003  Andriy Naumov (UKR) 2:13:58  Galina Zhulyeva (UKR) 2:38:13
2002  Andriy Naumov (UKR) 2:14:30  Galina Zhulyeva (UKR) 2:39:36
2001  Roman Kejžar (SLO) 2:22:57  Nada Rotovnik-Kozjek (SLO) 3:09:47
2000  Patrick Chumba (KEN) 2:13:35  Maria Luisa Costetti (ITA) 3:08:38
1999  Woliye Jara (ETH) 2:20:53  Lyudmila Petrova (RUS) 2:52:25
1998  Piotr Pobłocki (POL) 2:18:20  Helena Javornik (SLO) 2:32:33
1997  Charles Subano (KEN) 2:19:28  Helena Javornik (SLO) 2:40:05
1996  Roman Kejžar (SLO) 2:20:12  Helena Javornik (SLO) 2:37:58

Statistics

Note: Marathon statistics only

Multiple wins

Winners by country

Country Men's race Women's race Total
 Kenya 11 7 18
 Ethiopia 7 6 13
 Ukraine 3 4 7
 Slovenia 2 5 7
 Russia 0 2 2
 Burundi 2 0 2
 Poland 1 0 1
 Lithuania 0 1 1
 Italy 0 1 1

Notes

  1. ^ a b h:m:s
  2. ^ Levy Matebo Omari would finish 1st with a course record (unofficial 2:07:40) but was misled by an official TV-car at 40 km and had to run an extra distance of around 450 m [9]

References

  1. ^ "Volkswagen 20. Ljubljanski maraton". vw-ljubljanskimaraton.si. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2019.course was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Volkswagen Ljubljanski maraton". vw-ljubljanskimaraton.si. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Fun run | Volkswagen Ljubljana marathon". Archived from the original on 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
  5. ^ "Lumpi run | Volkswagen Ljubljana marathon". vw-ljubljanskimaraton.si. Archived from the original on 2020-09-19.
  6. ^ "Kenijka Chepkemoi Tele z rekordom proge zmagala na 42 km". dnevnik.si.
  7. ^ "Timing Ljubljana". VW 26. Ljubljanski maraton 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2020.postponement was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Ljubljanski maraton: Tretjeuvrščenemu višja nagrada kot zmagovalcu". rtvslo.si. Rtv SLO. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Chepkwony beats the breeze in Ljubljana". IAAF. 27 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Ljubljanski Maraton". www.timingljubljana.si. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Ljubljanski Maraton". www.timingljubljana.si. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
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