The record year of the Belgrade Marathon

The year 2024 was a record-breaking year for the Belgrade Marathon, as participation records were set across all five running events. According to the director of the Belgrade Marathon, Darko Habuš, this season saw a total of 25,000 participants in all running events held on the streets of our capital city.

“We must be proud of everything we have accomplished,” Habuš proudly states and adds:

“Specifically speaking about the 37th Comtrade Belgrade Marathon, we saw a 33% increase in the number of participants, while the Belgrade 10K race experienced a 32% growth. The Women’s Race was 25% larger, and the Belgrade Half Marathon had a 20% higher number of runners compared to last year,” Habuš stated. He also emphasized that over 15,000 children took part in all qualifying races of the Children’s Marathon.

Habuš emphasized that such rapid progress was primarily driven by the quality of the organization, as well as the relationship with the running community, which is based on sincerity and mutual trust.

“This is something that should serve as the foundation for further growth—not only in our relationship with runners, who are indeed our most important part, but also with all the partners who have recognized their interest in supporting the Belgrade Marathon and working together to create and build a genuine Belgrade brand. Only through joint efforts, as a strong team with a pronounced team spirit, can we build a better future. An individual can contribute only to a certain extent, but without a proper team and widespread support, it is impossible to push boundaries.
We are fortunate to have the support of the City of Belgrade and the Ministry of Sports, who provide us with the wind at our back, as well as all our partners who have truly recognized the value of our work,” Habuš concluded.

The quality of the races organized by the Belgrade Marathon received the highest recognition this year from World Athletics, which awarded it their prestigious certificate:

“We meet all the standards set by World Athletics, with whom we have truly exceptional cooperation and communication. Over a thousand road races are organized worldwide each year, and the Belgrade Marathon is among the top 100 in terms of quality. In other words, we are part of the elite, and that is truly an achievement worthy of recognition.”

“And the collaboration with the Serbian Athletic Association has been elevated to a much higher level this year:”

“Essentially, we cannot do it without each other. Not only can we not, but we shouldn’t be working without each other. We have built really good relations with the leaders of the Serbian Athletic Association, and they too have recognized the benefit of organizing their national championships in the 10K, 21K, and 42K races through the Belgrade Marathon. This is undoubtedly a sign that we are doing something right. We have opened the doors for the Association to present the best domestic athletes in middle and long-distance races in the most quality way, and on the other hand, through our collaboration with them, the Belgrade Marathon has gained the opportunity to communicate more effectively with European and global athletic organizations, further enhancing its image and reputation worldwide.”

The culmination of this excellent collaboration has been valued in the best possible way, as the Belgrade Marathon will host the European Championship in the marathon, half marathon, and 10K race in 2027, marking the great milestone of its 40th anniversary.

“This European Championship in running was awarded also based on the fact that immediately afterward, an EXPO will be held in Belgrade, making our country the center of the world. The theme of this large international exhibition includes sports, and the Belgrade Marathon, as the largest sporting event in Serbia, is an important component of our country’s sports system. I am confident that after 2027, the Belgrade Marathon will be a completely different event from the perspective of foreigners who will come to our country. We expect 10,000 international participants and the same number of runners from our country, and I am certain that after that, the Belgrade Marathon, in the years to come, will not have fewer than 20,000 participants.”

There are exactly 100 days left until the next, 38th Comtrade Belgrade Marathon. Habuš has a clear vision when it comes to the goals. He doesn’t hide the fact that the aim is for the number of participants in all races organized by the Belgrade Marathon to exceed 31,000 runners.

“Our goal is to grow gradually, not to make sudden jumps, although we could. Almost all our races are sold out before they even start, and if we allowed an unlimited number of registrations, the numbers would definitely be higher, but we limit them for various reasons. One of the factors is the overall logistics, which must be prepared six to seven months in advance for each race. On the other hand, we want to technically perfect each event or get as close as possible to perfection, meaning that what we provide on the track for the runners should be something that will make them want to return to Belgrade and the races organized by the Belgrade Marathon every time,” Habuš said, then added:

“The main focus will be to increase the number of people working in the organization of the event, to improve the technical details to the maximum, and to ensure that the experience on the track is truly something special for all the runners, so they can spread that feeling further. It takes time for the Belgrade Marathon to continue growing in every sense, and the years ahead will show that. We are striving to keep up with all innovations to best prepare for 2027, when we will be the center of European running, and after that, Belgrade will never be the same,” Habuš concluded.