Record attendance – 6,669 runners completed the TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon
6,883 brave and determined runners set off on the route of the TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon, and 6,669 of them crossed the finish line. Although the loudest applause greeted the winners as they reached the finish line, the true heroes who will go down in the event’s history are all those who took on the challenge of the marathon distance. Battling their own weaknesses after months of preparation, they set out on the course, demonstrating tremendous perseverance and the consequence.
The marathon started on the Main Market Square. The bugle call from the tower of St. Mary’s Church, the traditional countdown, and the starting gun fired by Aleksander Miszalski, Mayor of Kraków, signaled the start for thousands of runners who set off on the route.
Both on the Main Market Square and along the entire route, the runners were cheered on by large crowds of Kraków's residents and visitors, creating a unique atmosphere.
The fastest runners at the TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon were Kenyans Derrick Chege Njorge with a time of 02:10:55 and Chelangat Sang, who covered the 42 km and 195 m in 02:33:56.
Among the men, Kennedy Kipkemoi Rono took second place, and Shedrack Kiptoo Kimaiyo came in third. The women’s podium was rounded out by Sviatlana Sanko, who finished second, and the fastest Polish woman, Monika Brzozowska.
The race took place under difficult conditions. The marathon runners had to contend with strong sunshine and temperatures reaching 20°C.
MEN’S OVERALL CLASSIFICATION:
1. Derrick Chege Njorge 02:10:55
2. Kennedy Kipkemoi Rono 02:14:13
3. Shedrack Kiptoo Kimaiyo 02:16:57
WOMEN’S OVERALL CLASSIFICATION:
1. Chelangat Sang 02:33:56
2. Sviatlana Sanko 02:36:41
3. Monika Brzozowska 02:41:37
The medals and prizes were presented to the fastest competitors by Tomasz Marzec – Director of the Sports Infrastructure Management Board of Kraków, Katarzyna Stępniewska-Walaszczyk – Deputy Director of the Sports Infrastructure Management Board of Kraków, Patrycja Tocka – Councilor of the Małopolska Provincial Assembly, and Krzysztof Surma – Vice President of the Board for Finance at TAURON Polska Energia S.A.
Paulina Gaj took seventh place among the women, and Kinga Smaga took fifth. Three other Polish women also placed in the top ten: Sylwia Jabłońska, Kinga Smaga, and Magdalena Jurasik.
The fastest Polish runner in the TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon was Poland's vice-champion in the marathon, Andrzej Rogiewicz, who finished on seventh place. Dawid Gałuszka, Kacper Piech, and Wiktor Wysocki also made it into the top ten.
However, applause is due to all the runners who, by taking on the challenge, fulfilled the slogan accompanying the TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon – “Perseverance measured in kilometers.”
As is tradition, the Kraków's Marathon attracted runners from many places around the world. Competitors from 67 countries participated in the race. Besides Poland, the most numerous representatives were from France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ukraine, the USA, Norway, and Spain.
As part of the TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon, there was also a competition for athletes with disabilities competing in wheelchairs. The fastest runners were Rafał Wilk, who covered the 42 km and 195 m distance in 01:09:05, and Anna Oroszova, who finished with a time of 01:32:33.
- The TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon was a great celebration of sports, once again bringing together thousands of runners and fans in the heart of Kraków. We are delighted that so many residents joined the event, cheering on the runners and giving them strength at every kilometer of the course. Thanks to their presence, the atmosphere was exceptional and carried the participants all the way to the finish line. I congratulate all the competitors – the winners, those who set personal bests, and also those who, despite adversity, conquered the marathon distance – summarized Tomasz Marzec, Director of the Sports Infrastructure Management Board of Kraków.
See the results of the TAURON 23rd Cracovia Marathon!
Photo: Michał Bacior, Tomasz Markowski, Grzegorz Maciąg