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THE HISTORY OF THE MARATHON

Run in Rome, run in an open-air museum.

Rome now, today as two thousand years ago. The forever invincible and eternal Rome. A city where you fall in love at each and every step, where every step will make you feel a glorious marathoner.

Rome awaits you, glorious, colorful and loud. Rome is unique. With it’s thrilling romantic sunset on the Gianicolo and the quiet sunrise on Lungotevere. 42.195 km rich of art and history, cobblestones stepped by the crumpled sandals of roman gladiators in the past and by hundreds of thousands of marathoners in the last 25 years.

Runners in Rome became real marathoners. Eternal. Runners who’s tears started at the Colosseum and along the Fori Imperial, during the first kilometer of a long journey called Marathon. Whom cried again at the finish line, because the joy of achieving a medal is always unbearable.

Alongside the journey, each marathoner has encountered monuments and places that only Rome, in the whole world can offer, emotions that only the eternal city can give.  The road strolls by, asphalt and cobblestones, maritime pines and applauses oh thousands of fans along the streets embrace this unique open-air museum, one can find only here.

Who runs in Rome, makes history, runs in history, retraces the history.

Rome’s marathon through history, from 1906. The winners and its evolution up to today’s Run Rome the Marathon.

The marathon in the Italian capital has a strong tradition. We could go back over a century to 2 April 1906, when the Emilian Dorando Pietri won the marathon, crossing the finishing line in Piazza di Siena. We could go back 60 years, to that magical night of the 1960 Olympics in Rome, when Ethiopian Abebe Bikila opened the season of African marathon runners, running the whole race barefoot. He became a legend, his stride along Appia Antica illuminated by torches is pure athletics history, as is the photo of him winning on arrival at the Arch of Constantine.

More gold medals again, this time at the World Championships on 6 September 1987 with the success of Kenyan-Japanese Douglas Wakiihuri, a great icon of world running.

The marathon we all know today originated in 1995 with the Italia Marathon Club and in 2011 was awarded the prestigious IAAF Gold Label recognition. In 2019 the organisation was entrusted to FIDAL, and since 2020 there has been a new organising committee formed by Infront, Corriere dello Sport – Stadio, Italia Marathon Club and Atielle Roma. Unfortunately, due to coronavirus, the edition of 29 March 2020 could not take place; with just weeks to go the start, it had to be halted for a global lockdown that stopped it being held. New energies and a new edition scheduled for Sunday 19 September 2021 already called Alba Edition Special Race, the marathon of recovery, of comeback, of a great international event in the Eternal City. Departure at dawn, with the sun’s rays illuminating the monuments, a unique and unrepeatable opportunity to experience an exciting page of history.

Recent editions have attracted over 115 participating countries, while in the men’s roll of honour there have been 7 successes for Ethiopia, 13 for Kenya, and 3 for Italy with Stefano Baldini, Ruggero Pertile and Alberico Di Cecco. For women we find victories flying the flag of Russia, Estonia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Algeria. There is also a significant Italian presence thanks to the victories of Franca Fiacconi, Maura Viceconte, Maria Guida, Maria Cocchetti, Gloria Marconi and Ornella Ferrara.

The race record is held by Benjamin Kiptoo Kolum (Kenya) who reached the Imperial Forum in 2009 in 2:07:18, while the fastest woman ever was Kebede Megertu Alemu (Ethiopia) who clocked 2:22:52 in 2019.

CURIOSITY   ──────

During the Holy Year, the marathon was held on New Year’s Eve, January 1, 2000, a day in history.

Unforgettable the success in 2010 ok Siraj Gena from Kenya whom crossed the finish line barefooted to honour abebe Bikila. In 1960 Bikila was the first white African to win an Olympic Gold medal and ran the whole marathon barefooted, he had been given new shoes hours before the start, but he preferred to run barefooted. Half a century later Siraj Gena took his shoes off 500 meters from the finish line where one of the sons of Bikila was watching.

Male winners

Edition Year Winner Nationality Time
1 1995 Belayneh Tadesse Ethiopia 2h 10' 13"
2 1996 Moges Taye Ethiopia 2h 12' 03"
3 1997 Dube Jillo Ethiopia 2h 13' 08"
4 1998 Stefano Baldini Italy 2h 09' 33"
5 1999 Philip Tanui Kenya 2h 09' 56"
6 2000 Philip Tanui Kenya 2h 08' 27"
7 2001 Henry Cherono Kenya 2h 11' 27"
8 2002 Vincent Kipsos Kenya 2h 09' 30"
9 2003 Frederick Cherono Kenya 2h 08' 47"
10 2004 Ruggero Pertile Italy 2h 10' 12"
11 2005 Alberico Di Cecco Italy 2h 08' 02"
12 2006 David Kipkorir Kenya 2h 08' 38"
13 2007 Elias Chelimo Kemboi Kenya 2h 09' 36"
14 2008 Yego Jonathan Kiptoo Kenya 2h 09' 57"
15 2009 Benjamin Kiptoo Kolum Kenya 2h 07' 18"
16 2010 Siraj Gena Ethiopia 2h 08' 39"
17 2011 Chumba Dixon Kiptolo Kenya 2h 08' 45"
18 2012 Luka Lokobe Kanda Kenya 2h 08' 04"
19 2013 Getachew Terfa Negari Ethiopia 2h 07' 56"
20 2014 Legese Shume Hailu Ethiopia 2h 09' 47"
21 2015 Abebe Negewo Degefa Ethiopia 2h 12' 23"
22 2016 Amos Kipruto Kenya 2h 08' 12"
23 2017 Shura Kitata Tola Ethiopia 2h 07' 30"
24 2018 Cosmas Jairus Kipchoge Birech Kenya 2h 08' 05"
25 2019 Heyi Tebalu Zawude Ethiopia 2h 08' 37"
24 2020 Not disputed due to COVID
25 2021 KIPRONO Langat Clement Kenya 2h 08' 23"

In red the current record.

Female winners

Edition Year Winner Nationality Time
1 1995 Elena Sipatova Russia 2h 37' 46"
2 1996 Fatuma Roba Ethiopia 2h 29' 05"
3 1997 Jane Salumae Estonia 2h 31' 41"
4 1998 Franca Fiacconi Italy 2h 28' 12"
5 1999 Maura Viceconte Italy 2h 29' 36"
6 2000 Tegla Loroupe Kenya 2h 32' 03"
7 2001 Maria Guida Italy 2h 30' 42"
8 2002 Maria Cocchetti Italy 2h 33' 06"
9 2003 Gloria Marconi Italy 2h 29' 35"
10 2004 Ornella Ferrara Italy 2h 27' 49"
11 2005 Silviya Skvortosova Russia 2h 28' 01"
12 2006 Tetyana Hladyr Ukraine 2h 25' 44"
13 2007 Souad Ait Salem Algeria 2h 25' 08"
14 2008 Galina Bogomolova Russia 2h 22' 53"
15 2009 Firehiwot Dado Ethiopia 2h 27' 09"
16 2010 Firehiwot Dado Ethiopia 2h 25' 28"
17 2011 Firehiwot Dado Ethiopia 2h 24' 13"
18 2012 Hellen Kimutai Kenya 2h 31' 11"
19 2013 Helena Kirop Kenya 2h 24' 40"
20 2014 Geda Ayelu Lemma Ethiopia 2h 34' 49"
21 2015 Meseret Kitata Towalk Ethiopia 2h 30' 25"
22 2016 Tusa Rahma Ethiopia 2h 28' 49"
23 2017 Tusa Rahma Ethiopia 2h 27' 23"
24 2018 Tusa Rahma Ethiopia 2h 23' 46"
25 2019 Kebede Megertu Alemu Ethiopia 2h 22' 52"
24 2020 Not disputed due to COVID
25 2021 PERIS Lagat Jerono Kenya 2h 29' 29"

In red the current record.

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