The 2016 Tel Aviv Marathon, which took place on the morning of 26 February, was heralded a huge success by the race’s organizers, with 40,000 runners from Israel and abroad participating in the biggest international sports event in Israel.
The number of international runners increased by 20% this year, and reached a record number of 1500 runners.
The marathon, ‘celebrating the Nonstop Party-life of Tel Aviv’, intertwined with the city on race day. Its route began at the Tel Aviv Convention Center located in northern Tel Aviv and led the runners to the Tel Aviv boardwalk, an opportunity to run along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and white sandy beaches.
The route was also a run through history when it arrived to Jaffa, Tel Aviv’s old city and one of the most ancient port cities in the world. The event itself included 6 different elements: Marathon (42.195K), Half-Marathon (21K), 10K race, 5K race, 42K Hand-cycle race, Mini-Marathon for kids (420m and 1K).
Tel Aviv Marathon 2016 by the numbers:
- 40,000 runners in the biggest sports event in Israel
- 6 different races within the event
- 2,500 running the full marathon
- 12,000 running the half marathon
- 19,000 running the 10K
- 5,000 running the 5K
- 100 hand-cycles
- 2,000 children in the mini-marathon
- 21 stages for DJs and bands along the route
- Oldest runner in the marathon was 92 years-old
- 800 policemen took part in the event
- 1,500 security guards maintained order
- 45,000 Adidas t-shirts were distributed to participants
- 350,000 water portions were distributed
- 1,000 participators at the traditional pasta dinner
- 45,000 isotonic drinks
- 40,000 bananas and apples
- 100,000 dates
The organizing team are already planning far ahead, and future marathons in Tel Aviv will take place on the following dates: 24 February 2017, 23 February 2018, 22 February 2019 and 21 February 2020.
