Pyongyang International Marathon, previously known as Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, is an annual
marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
race contested each April in
Pyongyang
Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...
, the capital of
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
.
The marathon was held for the first time in 1981 for men, and the women's event was initiated in 1984. The 2009 race was the 22nd event. The competition was opened for international runners again in 2000. The race starts and finishes at the
Rungrado May Day Stadium or
Kim Il Sung Stadium and runs along the
Taedong River. At the 2010 edition of the race, Ukrainian
Ivan Babaryka became the first European runner to win in Pyongyang in 24 years. The race in 2012 was held as part of celebrations for the 100 years since
Kim Il Sung
Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...
's birth and featured one of the race's closest ever finishes:
Oleksandr Matviychuk and
Pak Song-chol were given identical times (2:12:54 hours), with the Ukrainian guest taking the title.
The 2015 marathon was initially closed to foreigners because of concerns about
Ebola
Ebola, also known as Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), is a viral hemorrhagic fever in humans and other primates, caused by ebolaviruses. Symptoms typically start anywhere between two days and three weeks after in ...
, but this decision has since been reversed after the reopening of the North Korean border in March 2015. The marathon was held in 2016, but did not meet
IAAF
World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and International Association of Athletics Federations and formerly abbreviated as the IAAF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport ...
specifications for an
IAAF Bronze Label Road Race that it had on previous years. In 2020, it was announced that the marathon would be cancelled for that year due to the ongoing
coronavirus outbreak in China. The 2021 edition was also cancelled due to the same reason as well as the 2022 edition.
The marathon resumed in 2025.
Course records
* Men: 2:10:50,
Kim Jung-won, 1996
* Women: 2:25:48, Jon Su-gyong, 2025
List of winners
Key:
See also
*
Tourism in North Korea
References
External links
*
Pyongyang Marathon at ''ARRS''How to join Pyongyang Marathon
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Sport in Pyongyang
Sports competitions in Pyongyang
Marathons in North Korea
Recurring sporting events established in 1981
Annual sporting events in North Korea
1981 establishments in North Korea
Spring (season) in North Korea