Record-breaking 10th Cracovia Royal Half Marathon
Kenyans Denis Chichir among men and Glorius Jepkirui among women were the first to appear in TAURON Arena Kraków at the finish line of the 10th Cracovia Royal Half Marathon. 10753 people from 50 countries took part in the race and 10720 of them crossed the finish line, setting a new attendance record. The previous one was set in 2018, when the 5th edition of the run was completed by 8758 athletes out of 8784 starters.
Kenyan Denis Chichir (recent triumpher of the marathon in Kosice, Slovakia), who achieved a time of 1:01:33, and Glorius Jepkiru (best in the recent 17th PKO Three Mounds' Run, third in last year's Cracovia Royal Half Marathon), who covered the distance of over 21 kilometres in a time of 1:11:16, became the winners of the 10th Cracovia Royal Half Marathon. Chichir improved the previous route record by one second.
The other places on the podium among men were occupied by Hillary Kiptum Maiyo Kimaiyo (winner of the 3rd and 4th Cracovia Royal Half Marathon, as well as this year's 17th PKO Three Mounds' Run and the 11th edition of the event) with a time of 1:02:41 and a running miner making his half marathon debut, Mateusz Mrówka, with a time of 1:07:05. Second at the finish line among women was Maryna Nemchenko, with a time of 1:13:03, and third was Monika Jackiewicz (the face of the jubilee edition of the event, appearing in the graphic identity, current Polish champion in the half marathon, triumpher of the 7th edition of the Cracovia Royal Half Marathon, second in Kraków last year and third in 2022), with a time of 1:13:23.
Adam Czerwiński, who is associated with Kraków, showed a very good side, returning to the Cracovia Royal Half Marathon route after 9 years. The multiple medallist of the Polish Championships in short-distance running achieved a time of 1:08:22 and took 5th place. In the women's classification, Gabriela Czarska from Kraków was classified in 6th place, with a time of 1:22:01, and 9th place went to Magdalena Sudoł, coach of AZS AWF Kraków, who leads the ‘Train in Kraków!’ activities organised by the Sports Infrastructure Management Board of Kraków, with a time of 1:24:12.
Complete results of the 10th Cracovia Royal Half Marathon can be found HERE.
The best contestants in the general classification were presented with medals and cheques by Jakub Kosek, Chairman of the Kraków City Council, Tomasz Marzec, Director of the Sports Infrastructure Management Board of Kraków, and Katarzyna Stępniewska-Walaszczyk, Deputy Director of the Sports Infrastructure Management Board of Kraków for marketing and sports events organising, Director of the Run.
The 10th Cracovia Royal Half Marathon included the 8th Polish Physiotherapists‘ Championships in the Half Marathon, the 19th Polish Teachers’ Championships in the Half Marathon, the Polish Foresters' Championships in the Half Marathon, the 1st Half Marathon for the Police Commander's Cup in Kraków, as well as the 1st Actor's Polish Championships in the Half Marathon - in which participated, among others, Julia Kamińska or the Kraków's artists Mateusz Janicki and Andrzej Popiel, who have long been associated with the events forming part of the Royal Triad Running. Thanks to their start in Kraków, the participants of the actors' competition supported the charges of the Poland Business Run Foundation - Mr Hubert, Ms Stefania and Mr Robert - in their return to normal life. The first three contestants on the podium received commemorative trophies - symbolic statuettes made by Kraków-based designer Fryderyk Zyska. More than 30 actresses and actors from all over Poland took part in the competition.
The 10th Cracovia Royal Half Marathon completed the 7th edition of the Royal Running Triad. It was inaugurated by the 21st Cracovia Marathon (14 April) and the second act was the 17th PKO Three Mounds' Run (22 September). The title of winner of the 2024 Royal Running Triad was achieved by 918 people.
Photo: Tomek Śmietana; Mateusz Chwajoł/ZIS