Record-breaking 43,317 people take part in
40th Paris Marathon
3 April 2016 – Paris, France
A record-breaking 43,317 people from 160 countries took part in the 40th edition of the Paris
Marathon today with a further 250,000 spectators watching on and 3,000 volunteers helping
to stage the race – highlighting the French capital’s capabilities and experience in hosting
major global sports events.
The city centre race was started on the world famous Champs-Élysées by Paris Mayor, Anne
Hidalgo, and Paris 2024 Co-Chairman and triple Olympic Gold Medallist, Tony Estanguet, before
snaking along the banks of River Seine and taking in landmark sights such as the Eiffel Tower,
the Grand Palais, Esplanade des Invalides, the Louvre and Place de la Concorde – all of which
feature heavily in the Paris 2024 Games Plan.
The event, which also served as a qualifier for Rio 2016, was broadcast in 187 countries and in
the lead up to the race the Paris Marathon digital platforms accumulated 1.7 million unique
website visitors, 120,500 likes on Facebook, 16,500 followers on Twitter, 500,000 video views
on YouTube and 46,000 official app downloads – making it one of the best connected
marathons in history and a powerful way to engage the public through sport.
The 2016 Paris Marathon was also one of the greenest in history with an initiative launched
ahead of the event encouraging runners to use public transport or car sharing on route to and
from the race. Electric vehicles for officials were also used on the race route and litter left
along the course is being collected for recycling.
42% of the field came from overseas to run in the famous race and the overall number of
participants has increased by 41% since the 30th edition 10 years ago. The global growth of
the race reflects Paris’ status as a major global sports hub with an appetite for Olympic sport
and mass participation events – attracting athletes and spectators from around the world and
across Paris and France.
Paris 2024 Co-Chairman, Tony Estanguet, said:
“The record-breaking 40th edition of the Paris Marathon has been a huge success and I’d like
to congratulate all of the runners, spectators, volunteers and race organisers who contributed
to a wonderful festival of sport.
“We have seen this weekend that Paris is one of the world’s most iconic and cosmopolitan
cities with historic landmarks and breath-taking venues offering an incredible live setting and
stunning broadcast pictures – the perfect platform to showcase sport.
“Sport underpins much of our social life in France with grassroots, amateur and elite
sportspeople participating daily in the hundreds of sports clubs in the heart of the city.
Our promise is to harness this enthusiasm for sport and help the Olympic Movement to
create a new generation of fans globally by offering the best possible platform for Olympic
events.”
-ENDSNote to Editors
Elite race podium finishers:
Men’s race:
1. Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 2h07’11”
2. Laban Korir (KEN) 2h07’29”
3. Stephen Chemlany (KEN) 2h07’37
Women’s race:
1. Visiline Jepkesho (KEN) 2h25’53”
2. Gulume Chala (ETH) 2h26’14”
3. Dinkesh Tefera (ETH) 2h28’12”
Wheelchair race:
1. Rafael Botello Jimenez (ESP) 1h32’01”
2. Heinz Frei (SUI) 1h32’03”
3. Denis Lemeunier (FRA) 1h32’19”
Images
Please find attached the following images:
Image 1 – 43,317 participants gather on the Champs-Élysées for the start of the race
Image 2 – Runners pass the iconic Eiffel Tower in the heart of the city
Image 3 – Paris 2024 Co-Chairman Tony Estanguet with the men’s podium finishers
Photo credit: ASO
Press contacts for international media
Sophie Guillon-Morel
Paris 2024 Bid Committee
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +33 (0)6 81 58 99 03
Sujit Jasani
Vero Communications
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +44 (0)7940 375 282
Engage with the Paris 2024 bid here:
Website: www.paris2024.org
Twitter: @Paris2024
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Paris2024
Instagram: http://instagram.com/paris2024