The Warsaw Marathon has been added to a newly launched European Marathon Classics project, linking eight major marathons across Europe into one shared series. The initiative presented in Vienna on Wednesday adds the Warsaw Marathon to those in Rome, Vienna, Madrid, London, Copenhagen, Lisbon and Frankfurt, which are all held between March and October. Hugh Brasher, director of the TCS London Marathon, said the idea is to encourage runners to explore Europe’s cities and running traditions. “This is our vision of discovering Europe together and crossing borders – geographical, sporting and mental,” he said. Participants who finish five of the eight marathons will earn the title European Marathon Classics Finisher. The medal shown in Vienna features a central plate with magnetic badges, one for each completed race, allowing runners to build a personalized design. The organizers also plan to honor historic results, allowing runners to add verified past marathon times to their profiles. Marek Tronina, director of the Warsaw Marathon, said this recognizes decades of running history. “We value everyone who has ever completed our marathon, whether this year or 40 years ago,” he said. Last year’s Warsaw Marathon brought 9,544 finishers, including 1,571 international runners. Participation is expected to grow under the new European series.
