2026 Jerusalem Marathon Held: Rom Braslavsky and Moshe Lion Open the Race
On April 17, 2026, Jerusalem hosted the 15th Winner Jerusalem Marathon, which brought together approximately 35,000 participants and became one of the city’s most significant sporting events of the year.
However, weather conditions necessitated major adjustments to the competition program. Due to the expected extreme heat, organizers decided to cancel the full marathon distance (42.2 km) and move the start of the race to earlier morning hours. All registered participants were automatically transferred to the half-marathon.
One of the most emotional moments of the marathon was the start of the 10-kilometer race, opened by Rom Braslavsky — a former hostage who spent two years in Hamas captivity and was released in October. Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion also took part in the formal ceremony.
In the competitive portion of the event, Haimro Alame won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:07:31. In the women’s category, Mintamar Bikaya finished first, clocking in at 1:24:29.
Despite the weather challenges, the marathon was a success and once again confirmed its status as one of the region’s key sporting events.
