Nearly 19,000 athletes have competed against the historic backdrop of Istanbul as the 21st edition of the Istanbul Half Marathon saw runners conquer the city’s iconic peninsula in both 10K and 21K races, marked by a series of broken records.
The race started at the Yenikapı event area and followed a scenic coastal route along Kennedy Avenue on April 19.
Runners passed through Kumkapı, Cankurtaran and Çatladıkapı, before reaching Sarayburnu and crossing Galata Bridge. The course then looped back through Eminönü, Unkapanı, Cibali and Ayvansaray, with athletes turning before the Golden Horn Bridge and finishing at the starting point.
In the men’s race, Kenya's Alex Nzioka Matata retained his title in a dramatic finish, clocking 1:00:01 and narrowly beating his twin brother Charles Mbatha Matata, who recorded the same time but placed second.
Ali Kaya finished third with a time of 1:00:12, setting a new personal best and winning the Turkish national championship title. His previous record, set at the same event in 2016, had been 1:00:16.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Purity Kajuju Gitonga took first place with 1:06:50. Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray finished second in 1:06:57, followed by South African racer Glenrose Xaba in third with 1:07:03.
Among Turkish athletes, Nursena Çeto delivered the top performance in the women’s field, finishing 10th overall with a time of 1:11:27, setting a personal best and securing the national title.
Two national records were also broken during the race. Stella Mami Clement Lokhiri set a new South Sudan record with 1:11:17, while Shadrack Kimutai Koech set a new Kazakhstan national record with 1:02:34.
The race once again highlighted Istanbul’s growing status as a global destination for elite long-distance running.
