The 40th Wizz Air Budapest Half Marathon ended with a Hungarian victory and attracted more than 20,000 participants, making it the largest half marathon ever held in Hungary. Among the men, Gábor Karsai triumphed, while in the women’s field Lili Vindics-Tóth took the win, both claiming the national half marathon championship title. The jubilee race also set a record for international running tourists, significantly contributing to Budapest’s tourism revenue and raising the capital’s international prestige.
Held in sunny weather and ideal conditions, the 40th Wizz Air Budapest Half Marathon followed a route showcasing Budapest’s most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage sites. On September 7, history was made by the participants and the organizer, Budapest Sport Office: with more than 20,000 entrants registered across various distances, a new participation record was set. In the individual 21.1 km race, 13,800 runners signed up, also a new national record.
In the men’s race, Gábor Karsai broke the tape at ELTE Lágymányosi Campus with a time of 1:04:03, while in the women’s competition, Lili Vindics-Tóth crossed the finish line first in 1:11:42.
The event engaged the whole country, with runners coming from 1,070 different Hungarian towns and villages. At the same time, international participation also reached new heights: over 6,300 runners from 117 countries traveled to the capital, meaning that every third half marathon entrant was from abroad. The largest groups of foreign runners came from Great Britain, Slovakia, and Germany.
“It’s wonderful – we broke every record, this is the biggest half marathon ever in Hungary! Nearly 40% of the field came from abroad, with more than 6,000 runners representing 117 countries. Altogether, they spent about 40,000 guest nights in Budapest, raising the city’s prestige, and many will surely return. But most importantly, it was all about the countless smiles and success stories experienced today – including the more than 2,000 people who ran their very first half marathon. This day was a true celebration of running, an uplifting moment we can all – runners and organizers, Hungarians and foreigners alike – be incredibly proud of,” said Árpád Kocsis, CEO of the Budapest Sport Office.
The diversity of the running community was reflected in the fact that women made up 47% of participants, with more than 2,000 completing the distance for the first time. The field also included Hungary’s elite athletes, former Olympians such as Gábor Józsa, and ultrarunners like András Lőw, who has completed the Spartathlon 21 times. The ageless passion for running was proven by participants ranging from teenagers to athletes in their eighties. The community was further enriched by the professional championships, where over 1,450 representatives of various professions competed.
In addition to the half marathon, the Szimpatika 10 km race, as well as the relay and trio relay events, were also hugely popular. The event was a success in terms of charity as well: thanks to the runners’ support, 6.5 million forints were raised for various charitable organizations.