Record-Breaking Budapest Marathon Draws Nearly 100,000 Visitors

At the Hungary’s largest two-day recreational sports event of the year, competitors could choose from 14 race distances, and nearly 100,000 people—including runners, companions, and spectators—visited the festival, said the event’s organizer, the Budapest Sport Office (BSI). At the 41st SPAR Budapest Marathon, defending champion Máté Vásárhelyi won the men’s race, while American runner Catherine Wimmer took first place in the women’s division.

Vásárhelyi (Castor SE) completed the race in 2:24:01, while Wimmer finished in 2:47:47. Adél Hercsel was the top Hungarian female runner, finishing third. The event’s 14 race categories attracted a total of 39,910 registrations, making it the country’s largest recreational sports event once again this year.

Interest in the marquee 42.2-kimometer marathon also set a historic record: the number of individual marathon runners on the start list surpassed 10,000 for the first time.

“We have reached a milestone: 10,000 marathon registrations is an achievement that even we might not have believed possible five or six years ago. The marathon is the absolute pinnacle of recreational sports and amateur running. Anyone who comes out to an event like this is not just running; they are becoming part of a close-knit community. If someone makes up their mind to become a marathon runner, they can prepare for it in a year. In doing so, they accomplish something that only a few tenths of a percent of the world’s population can say they have achieved. As we often say, anyone who completes a marathon can accomplish anything in life,” said Árpád Kocsis, managing director of the BSI.

Registrations for Sunday’s marathon came from 1,200 towns and villages across Hungary and 121 countries worldwide.

Among the participants, 3,302 runners completed a marathon for the first time in their lives. Others were running their 10th, 21st, or even— in one runner’s case—their 37th marathon.

The organizers highlighted an extraordinary challenge completed by Péter Boronkay, a paratriathlete who has won 10 world championship titles and nine European championship titles. Born without his left forearm, Boronkay used his able arm to push his friend András Nagy, a wheelchair user with limited mobility, in a specialized running chair. The duo collected donations for the Association for Autistic Children.

There were also touching moments at the finish line. After completing the marathon, Zoltán Skuba proposed to the woman he loves.

To keep the runners hydrated and fueled, the organizers prepared more than 50,000 liters of water, 8,000 liters of isotonic sports drinks, 1,500 liters of cola, 2,160 kilograms of bananas, 288 kilograms of lemons, and 250 kilograms of glucose.

Next year’s race will be held on October 10.

Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Balogh Zoltán

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