The inaugural event in Brussels and Leuven will take place on April 12-13 next year, with club runners mingling with the elite.
Less than six months to go European running championship takes place in Brussels and Leuven, Belgium.
For the first time, the European Championships are also open to everyone, where ordinary runners can compete alongside the elite.
There are also different distances – 10km, half marathon and full marathon – and already 15,000 runners have registered for the event.
The marathon starts at the Royal Palace in Brussels and follows a scenic course to Leuven. The half marathon and 10km start from Leuven and take in the city and wider surrounding area.
Uniquely, the net finish times of the top 25 runners in each country, including elites, will be added up and form the basis for country rankings by competition and gender. The country with the lowest aggregate time in each race and gender category is declared the winner.
President of European Athletics Dobromir Karamarinov says. “The European Running Championships symbolize my vision of a sport that is truly for everyone. Young and old, male and female, fast and slow, big and small, elite and amateur will all compete together and simultaneously in the mass marathon, half marathon and 10km events, offering world and national ranking places.
“For too long, athletics has been seen as a rarity, reserved only for the super fit and super gifted. All children, and a growing number of adults across our continent, participate in athletics in the form of recreational running every day. However, most of them do not consider themselves athletes. I am determined to bridge this gap.”
Register for the event here.
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