Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper): The Antwerp Marathon on October 20 expects a record 19,000 runners, up from 12,000 last year. Organizer Greg Brokmans highlights the growing global interest in marathons, with 5,000 participants in the full marathon and 14,000 in the half marathon.
The Antwerp Marathon is expected to set a new record this Sunday 20th October with 19,000 runners taking part. This is a big increase from 12,000 runners last year and just 6,000 in 2022. It has been said that this rise shows how running is becoming more popular worldwide, with many people wanting to join marathons. The event is now a key highlight in the running calendar, attracting athletes from local areas and other countries, and helping to make Antwerp a well-known marathon city.
What factors contribute to the growing popularity of the Antwerp marathon?
According to Greg Broekmans from the Antwerp Marathon, the event is doing well because more people are excited about running. He notes that marathons are becoming popular everywhere, including in Antwerp. Running is easy to start and makes people feel good about themselves, which brings in more participants. He mentioned that the increase in runners shows that many people enjoy endurance sports and that marathons encourage them to push their limits.
Next Sunday, 5,000 runners will participate in the marathon, starting at 9 am near the Waagnatie on the Scheldekaaien. About 1 in 4 of the participants will come from other countries. 14,000 runners will take part in the half marathon, which will begin at 1:30 pm. Registration is still open, but organizers do not expect more runners to sign up.
