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The 48th Istanbul Marathon reaffirmed its status as a global athletic landmark on Nov. 1, welcoming 45,679 registered participants from 143 nations for the world’s only cross-continental marathon.
Organized by the Istanbul Municipality’s department of youth and sports services and its subsidiary Spor Istanbul, the Türkiye İş Bankası 48th Istanbul Marathon started at 9 a.m. local time near the metrobus stop on the Asian side of the July 15 Martyrs Bridge.
The event, which holds Gold Label status from World Athletics, featured 42-kilometer and 15.5-kilometer races, corporate and public runs, as well as wheelchair competitions.
A total of 43 elite athletes, including 16 women and 27 men, competed in the marathon. Among the prominent names in the men’s field were 2024 champion Dejene Debela, Amdework Walelegn and Sufaro Woliyi. The women’s competition featured defending champion Bizuager Aderra, alongside Judith Korir and Veronicah Maina.
Road closures were introduced across the race route and connecting roads ahead of the event.
The 42-kilometer race took runners across the July 15 Martyrs Bridge from Asia to Europe, before passing through Beşiktaş and Galata Bridge toward Istanbul’s historic peninsula. Athletes then followed Kennedy Street toward Bakırköy before turning back along the coastal road and finishing at Sultanahmet Square.
The 15.5-kilometer race followed the same initial route as the marathon before reaching Yenikapı, while participants in the corporate and public runs crossed the bridge and continued along Barbaros Boulevard toward Dolmabahçe.
The marathon also serves as the 2026 Şevki Koru Turkish Marathon Championships, with domestic athletes competing for national titles.
The men’s and women’s winners of the 42-kilometer race will each receive $50,000, with an additional $5,000 available for breaking the course record. A total of 12 million Turkish Liras ($240,000) in prize money will be distributed across all categories.
