The Tel Aviv Samsung Marathon will take place on Friday, February 22, 2019. About 40,000 runners will participate in Israel’s biggest sporting event of the year, including 2,500 participants from Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Austria, the United States and other countries.
A large delegation of elite international runners will attempt to break the marathon record. The current record was set in 2015 by William Kiprono Yagon from Kenya at a time of 2:10:30. Any runner who succeeds in achieving a result of under 2:07:59 will receive $40,000.
This year, the Tel Aviv Marathon will take participants on a 42km route starting at 7am on Rokach Boulevard in northern Tel Aviv and winding through many of the city’s most celebrated neighborhoods, including Sarona Market, Rabin Square and Old Jaffa, as well as the boardwalk along the Mediterranean coast.
Samsung has pledged to match each calorie burned by the runners with a similar calorie-rich food product it will donate to families in need. The calories will be calculated live on screens throughout the track.
In addition to the full marathon, the event includes a 21km semi-marathon, 10km race, 5km race and hand-cycle race. A mini-marathon for kids was held on February 20 at the Sarona Compound.