The 46th Istanbul Marathon, held under the auspices of Turkey İş Bankası, witnessed Ethiopian athlete Dejene Debela clinching victory with a remarkable time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 40 seconds. This achievement marks Debela's first major international marathon win.
Following closely was Kenyan runner Matthew Samperu, finishing the race in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 55 seconds. Another prominent competitor, Kenneth Kiprop Kipkemoi from Kenya, completed the marathon in 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 7 seconds, highlighting the competitive nature of this prestigious event.
The marathon, recognized as one of Europe’s six largest and classified under the Gold Label category, featured elite athletes from four continents. A total of 47 elite runners, comprising 31 men and 16 women, participated in this remarkable race that spanned from Asia to Europe.
The event commenced with a ceremonial start given by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who expressed his hopes for a race filled with love, peace, and joy. İmamoğlu acknowledged the unique blend of local and international participants, emphasizing the marathon's special significance.