A record crowd of more than 16,000 athletes competed in the Wizz Air Budapest Half Marathon on a beautiful sunny Sunday. The fastest runner was Henry Kemboi from Kenya, finishing in a time of 1:06:27.
When the last runner crossed the starting line in the City Park, the top runners were already at the foot of the Liberty Bridge, leading a five kilometer long field snaking through the city for a jubilee half marathon.
Runners enjoyed 16 musical points along the course in perfect running weather. The individual race was led for most of the way by two Kenyans and Kemboi got to the finish line first. The ladies’ race was won by Zita Kácser, with a time of 1:16:50.
Several Olympic champions also competed in the Wizz Air Budapest Half Mararaton: Áron Szilágyi (fencing, 2012) István Kovács (boxing, 1996) and Gabriella Szabó (kayaking, 2012).
Altogether 16,134-en athletes registered for the event with about 11,000 individual half marathoners, a central European record. More than 2,000 international runners from 65 countries also took part in the race.
Results:
Men:
1. Henry Kemboi (Kenya, Benedek-Team) 01:06:27
2. Moses Kipruto Kibire (Kenya, Benedek-Team) 01:06:32
3. Gábor Józsa (MAC) 01:06:39
Women:
1. Zita Kácser (Békéscsabai AC) 01:16:50
2. Tünde Szabó (PVSK) 01:17:31
3. Simona Staicu (Dunakeszi VSE) 01:18:44