All records are falling: Over 14,000 competitors at the 38th Comtrade Belgrade Marathon.

The Comtrade Belgrade Marathon continues to push boundaries. In its 38th edition, the largest sports event in Serbia will gather over 14,000 competitors on Sunday, April 6. The marathon and half-marathon races will start at 8:00 AM in front of St. Mark’s Church, with the finish line at Terazije, near Hotel Moskva.

Darko Habuš, director of the Belgrade Marathon, expressed his satisfaction that the number of competitors eager to run through the streets of Serbia’s capital is increasing year after year.

“We will have participants from 74 countries. Our database shows around 14,500 registered runners. Considering that 6 to 8 percent typically do not show up at the start, we can expect around 14,000 participants. Out of that number, 2,000 will run the marathon, 8,000 the half-marathon, while 4,000 will take part in the 10-kilometer race. The Fun Run starts at 1:00 PM, and all our fellow citizens are welcome to join.”

A large number of people will be engaged to ensure that the organization of this traditional running event is flawless once again this year. The Belgrade Marathon is organized in collaboration with the Serbian Athletics Federation and with strong support from the City of Belgrade and the Ministry of Sports.

“There will be nearly 3,000 people on the streets who remain invisible that day but will do everything to ensure the event runs safely. The Belgrade Marathon will also mark the beginning of the ‘Family Days’ event, which will take place in our capital over the next two months. The City of Belgrade is contributing further to hospitality by allowing all participants with race bibs to access certain museum exhibitions we have opened for them. This will be a great opportunity for visitors to spend quality time enjoying various cultural experiences. The same will apply on Monday, when free entry to selected museums will be available to everyone with a medal awarded after successfully completing the race,” Habuš emphasized.

Competitors will be able to collect their race packages on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Hall 2A of the Belgrade Fair, where a running expo will also be organized.

Darko Glavaš, Secretary of the Secretariat for Defense, Emergency Situations, and Coordination, spoke about the technical details.

“The City of Belgrade has been diligently preparing for this event for a long time. Traffic changes will begin as early as Saturday, especially around the start and finish areas. A large stage will also be set up at Republic Square. Many public transport lines will operate on modified routes, while the streets along the marathon and half-marathon course will be closed gradually. Traffic is expected to return to normal around 3:00 PM, while the area around the finish line should be cleared by 5:00 PM. Alternative routes will include the highway and Pupin Bridge. All information about road closures can be found on the official website of the city,” Glavaš emphasized.

Nedeljko Todorović, the renowned meteorologist and marathon runner, spoke about the weather conditions that participants can expect on Sunday.

“The temperature at the start will be around 5°C, and at the finish, it will be around 7, at most 8°C. We can assess the conditions as mildly unfavorable due to the wind, which will reach up to 10 meters per second and will particularly affect the marathon runners. Of course, these conditions are much more favorable than having high temperatures like we had last year,” Todorović emphasized.

Nikola Prica, on behalf of the Red Cross, emphasized that the organization will have 140 volunteers, 13 emergency vehicles, three triage and reception points, and 28 checkpoint stations. This means that around 200 volunteers will be taking care of the health of the participants in the Belgrade Marathon.

Slobodan Puhača from the Emergency Medical Service emphasized that, as always, they are prepared for the event. Colonel Goran Radenković from the Police Directorate for the City of Belgrade highlighted that the traffic police, with an increased number of officers, will “take all necessary measures to ensure that the entire event runs smoothly.”

As in the previous three years, all participants of the Belgrade Marathon are insured with Sava Insurance. Dragan Ocokoljić, the marketing director of Sava Insurance, emphasized that the insurance covers all runners in case of any unforeseen health issues.

“We are very pleased to be part of the organization of such a large sporting event. This is already the third consecutive year that Sava Insurance has been insuring all participants in the events organized by the Belgrade Marathon. Insuring such events that gather both recreational and professional athletes in urban environments is part of the strategic vision of Sava Insurance. Runners often set demanding goals for themselves, so it’s no surprise when unforeseen and unwanted events occur. That’s why insurance exists, to protect all participants both health-wise and financially. So, I encourage everyone to feel safe and secure, to achieve their best possible results, and if the unexpected happens, Sava Insurance will be there,” concluded Ocokoljić.