The Budapest Half Marathon (complete name: Wizz Air Budapest Half Marathon, hu, Wizz Air Budapest Félmaraton) is an annual

road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain. These events are usually classified as long-distance ac ...

competition over the

half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcu ...

distance which takes place in

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

in September. The route starts and ends in

City Park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to resi ...

and winds through the city center, offering views of some of the city's main sights, such as

Andrássy Avenue The House of Andrássy is the name of a Hungarian noble family of very ancient lineage that was prominent in Hungarian history. The full family name is ''Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka''. ''Csíkszentkirály'' is a town in modern- ...

with the

Opera House An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...

, the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

from the

Széchenyi Chain Bridge The Széchenyi Chain Bridge ( hu, Széchenyi lánchíd ) is a chain bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Designed by English engineer William Tierney Clark a ...

and the

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. The 2017 event took place on Sunday 10 September.

Race history

Between 1984 and 1993 annual half-marathon races were organized as a side event of the Budapest Marathon. In 1994 and 1995 the Budapest Marathon was discontinued and, since it was re-established in 1996, separate half-marathon races have been held in September, with

Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...

as the event's main supporter. From 2014 the event has a new main sponsor

Wizz Air Wizz Air, legally incorporated as Wizz Air Hungary Ltd. ( hu, Wizz Air Hungary Légiközlekedési Zrt.) is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier with its head office in Budapest, Hungary. The airline serves many cities across Europe, as well as s ...

. The popularity of Budapest Half Marathon has constantly increased; the number of participants having grown from an initial 3000 to over 7000 individual runners. Currently the distance can be run either as an individual or as a relay in a teams of two or three. Competitors with disabilities may compete in wheelchairs.

Past winners

Source: ''Futanet'', ''Half Marathon Race Guide 2013'' Key: "Finishers" refers to individuals completing the course, ignoring relay teams.

References

External links

Official website
{{European half marathons Sport in Budapest Half marathons Recurring sporting events established in 1984