27,000 participants: historical record for the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025, which will also host the Spanish and Catalan Marathon Championships

• Barcelona’s Marathon sets a new all-time participation record with 27,000 bibs sold, surpassing the previous record of 20,385 registered in 2016.
• It also establishes a record for international participants (60%) and once again achieves a 25% female participation rate.
• A total of 46 athletes (33 men and 13 women) form an elite list that will aim to beat the best times of this event: 02:05:01 in the men’s category and 02:19:44 in the women’s category.
• Approximately between 6:30 and 15h, vehicle circulation will be prohibited on all roads along the route, so it is recommended to use the metro for local transportation.

This Sunday, March 16, the 46th edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona will make history. Presented this morning at the Mirador Torre Glòries, an iconic building in the city, Barcelona’s Marathon breaks this 2025 its participation record with 27,000 bibs sold, after the previous record of 20,385 registrations had stood for 10 years since 2016. The new participation record comes with another first: for the first time in the history of Barcelona’s Marathon, 60% of the participants will be international, coming from 109 different countries. 

Just as in 2024, the Zurich Marató Barcelona will feature 25% female runners, meaning that one in every four participants will be a woman (over 6,700 women), making this the race with the highest number of female participants ever. This historic milestone is complemented by this year’s initiative to encourage women’s running, DONAnt Pas. As part of this project, a live session was held that included a technical talk and a pre-marathon training exclusively for female runners, and it has also been arranged for there to be more female pacers than ever on race day – 7 female pacers out of a total of 35.

Moreover, in 2025 the Zurich Marató Barcelona will simultaneously host the 87th Spanish Marathon Championship and the 47th Catalan Marathon Championship. While the national championship is being held in Barcelona again after more than two decades – since 2001 – and for the ninth time in the event’s history, the Catalan championship is taking place in the city for the second consecutive year.

“This Sunday, the streets of our city will host 27,000 stories of overcoming, each one unique and special. The runners, the entire professional team involved in the organization, and, as always, the volunteer staff are ready to give their all in one of the best marathons in the world: the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025. We have been looking forward to this moment for months! Now it’s also the turn of the citizens of Barcelona to come out, cheer, and enjoy the great running festival,” said David Escudé, the Barcelona City Councilor for Sports.

For his part, Cristian Llorens, ASSETS Director at RPM SPORTS by Experientia, explains that for 2025, at the Zurich Marató Barcelona “we are going all out. Having already set a historic participation record and having closed registrations three months before the race, we are now aiming for course records in both the men’s and women’s categories. After making a few small adjustments to last year’s innovative route, we are convinced that, weather permitting, the large roster of elite athletes will deliver a fantastic spectacle this Sunday.”

Route optimization to enhance the experience for participants, spectators, and the elite

For its 46th edition, the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025 has optimized its route to improve the experience for runners and the public, keeping the spirit of the 2024 renewal while incorporating key changes in the first and final sections of the course, and adding more than 30 cheering points (Hot Spots) so that everyone can fully enjoy Barcelona. Since the route is very central, please note that on Sunday, March 16, vehicle circulation will be prohibited on all roads along the course from approximately 8:30 to 14:30. In fact, some streets will be closed from 6:00, so using the metro for getting around the area is recommended.

The race will start at Passeig de Gràcia at 8:30, and the finish line will be located at the Arc de Triomf. Likewise, the adjustments made to the route have also been implemented to help runners achieve personal bests. A total of 45 athletes (32 men and 13 women) make up the elite field of the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025, all aiming to set new best times for the course. So far, the records for the event are held by the Eritrean-Swiss Abraham Tadesse in the men’s category (02:05:01, set last year) and by the Ethiopian athlete Zeineba Yimer Worku in the women’s category (02:19:44).

In the women’s category, after finishing second in 2023 (02:20:03), Kenyan Selly Chepyego Kaptich returns to Barcelona. Her rivals and top favorites this year will be Ethiopian Yebrgual Melese, who has a personal best of 02:19:36 achieved at the Dubai Marathon 2018 (finishing third there), and her compatriot, Vicoty Chepngeno, who ran the Houston Marathon 2024 in 02:19:55, earning her a second-place finish and Linet Masai, also from Kenya, with a personal best at the 2018 Amsterdam Marathon (02:23:46h).

Vicoty Chepngeno: ‘In my first participation in Barcelona, I am happy. I want to achieve my personal best’.
Selly Chepyego Kaptich: ‘I am very happy to be back in Barcelona, where I achieved my personal best. This Sunday I want to enjoy the new course and improve my personal best’.
Linet Masai: ‘I am very happy to be here and I will try to achieve my personal best’.

27,000 participants: historic record for the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025, which will also host the Spanish and Catalan Marathon Championships

• Barcelona’s Marathon sets a new all-time participation record with 27,000 bibs sold, surpassing the previous record of 20,385 registered in 2016. • It also establishes a record for international participants (60%) and once again achieves a 25% female participation rate. • A total of 46 athletes (33 men and 13 women) form an elite list that will aim to beat the best times of this event: 02:05:01 in the men’s category and 02:19:44 in the women’s category. • Approximately between 6:30 and 15h, vehicle circulation will be prohibited on all roads along the route, so it is recommended to use the metro for local transportation.

This Sunday, March 16, the 46th edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona will make history. Presented this morning at the Mirador Torre Glòries, an iconic building in the city, Barcelona’s Marathon breaks this 2025 its participation record with 27,000 bibs sold, after the previous record of 20,385 registrations had stood for 10 years since 2016. The new participation record comes with another first: for the first time in the history of Barcelona’s Marathon, 60% of the participants will be international, coming from 109 different countries.  Just as in 2024, the Zurich Marató Barcelona will feature 25% female runners, meaning that one in every four participants will be a woman (over 6,700 women), making this the race with the highest number of female participants ever. This historic milestone is complemented by this year’s initiative to encourage women’s running, DONAnt Pas. As part of this project, a live session was held that included a technical talk and a pre-marathon training exclusively for female runners, and it has also been arranged for there to be more female pacers than ever on race day – 7 female pacers out of a total of 35.  Moreover, in 2025 the Zurich Marató Barcelona will simultaneously host the 87th Spanish Marathon Championship and the 47th Catalan Marathon Championship. While the national championship is being held in Barcelona again after more than two decades – since 2001 – and for the ninth time in the event’s history, the Catalan championship is taking place in the city for the second consecutive year.  “This Sunday, the streets of our city will host 27,000 stories of overcoming, each one unique and special. The runners, the entire professional team involved in the organization, and, as always, the volunteer staff are ready to give their all in one of the best marathons in the world: the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025. We have been looking forward to this moment for months! Now it’s also the turn of the citizens of Barcelona to come out, cheer, and enjoy the great running festival,” said David Escudé, the Barcelona City Councilor for Sports.  For his part, Cristian Llorens, ASSETS Director at RPM SPORTS by Experientia, explains that for 2025, at the Zurich Marató Barcelona “we are going all out. Having already set a historic participation record and having closed registrations three months before the race, we are now aiming for course records in both the men’s and women’s categories. After making a few small adjustments to last year’s innovative route, we are convinced that, weather permitting, the large roster of elite athletes will deliver a fantastic spectacle this Sunday.”

Route optimization to enhance the experience for participants, spectators, and the eliteFor its 46th edition, the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025 has optimized its route to improve the experience for runners and the public, keeping the spirit of the 2024 renewal while incorporating key changes in the first and final sections of the course, and adding more than 30 cheering points (Hot Spots) so that everyone can fully enjoy Barcelona. Since the route is very central, please note that on Sunday, March 16, vehicle circulation will be prohibited on all roads along the course from approximately 8:30 to 14:30. In fact, some streets will be closed from 6:00, so using the metro for getting around the area is recommended.

The race will start at Passeig de Gràcia at 8:30, and the finish line will be located at the Arc de Triomf. Likewise, the adjustments made to the route have also been implemented to help runners achieve personal bests. A total of 45 athletes (32 men and 13 women) make up the elite field of the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025, all aiming to set new best times for the course. So far, the records for the event are held by the Eritrean-Swiss Abraham Tadesse in the men’s category (02:05:01, set last year) and by the Ethiopian athlete Zeineba Yimer Worku in the women’s category (02:19:44).  In the women’s category, after finishing second in 2023 (02:20:03), Kenyan Selly Chepyego Kaptich returns to Barcelona. Her rivals and top favorites this year will be Ethiopian Yebrgual Melese, who has a personal best of 02:19:36 achieved at the Dubai Marathon 2018 (finishing third there), and her compatriot, Vicoty Chepngeno, who ran the Houston Marathon 2024 in 02:19:55, earning her a second-place finish and Linet Masai, also from Kenya, with a personal best at the 2018 Amsterdam Marathon (02:23:46h).  Vicoty Chepngeno: ‘In my first participation in Barcelona, I am happy. I want to achieve my personal best’. Selly Chepyego Kaptich: ‘I am very happy to be back in Barcelona, where I achieved my personal best. This Sunday I want to enjoy the new course and improve my personal best’. Linet Masai: ‘I am very happy to be here and I will try to achieve my personal best’.

In the men’s category, the favourite to win will be Ethiopian Mekuant Ayenew, winner of the Seville Marathon in 2020 (02.04:46h). His main competitors will be Kenyan Samwel Mailu, winner of the Vienna Marathon in 2023 (02.05:08h), third in the eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona by Brooks 2025 (59:40‘) and bronze in the World Half Marathon 2023 to Riga (59:13’), his compatriot Barselius Kipyego, who achieved his personal best at the Paris 2021 Marathon (02.04:48h), Moses Kibet, whose personal best was set in 2021 with a sixth place in the Amsterdam Marathon (02. 05:20h) and Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Deriba, who was second in the Hangzhou Marathon (02.07:52h) last year.  On the other hand, the Kenyan athlete Kibiwott Kandie is provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity United (AIU), for refusing to pass an anti-doping control and will not be able to participate in the race. The organisers of the Zurich Marató Barcelona have always been committed to clean sport and in coordination with AIU will take all necessary measures in accordance with the regulations.  Mekuant Ayenew: ‘I am very happy to be in Barcelona. I’m really looking forward to winning on Sunday’. Barselius Kipyego: ‘I’m here to beat the course record on Sunday. I’m really looking forward to it, and I’m very well-prepared’. Samwel Mailu: ‘I want to achieve my personal best in Barcelona. I’m happy and ready to face the Marató after my third place in Mitja’.

The Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025 embodies the diversity of its city

On March 16, Barcelona is preparing to host a unique sporting event where athletics, culture, and the diversity of the city come together in one celebration: the Zurich Marató  Barcelona. This year, the marathon t-shirt and medal reflect the vibrant atmosphere of the city as it celebrates its great popular athletics event. While the t-shirt has been designed by students from the local design school BROTHER Barcelona to capture the festive spirit that accompanies all participants over the more than 42 kilometers they run through the city center (BCN RUNS WITH YOU), the medal’s design features a rotating metal element as its main innovation and pays homage to the monumental course of Barcelona’s Marathon—debuted last year—with three of the city’s iconic landmarks: Torre Glòries, Arc de Triomf, and Hotel W.

Similarly, the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2025 will once again offer parallel activities on the morning of Saturday, March 15, such as the Kids Race or the Bimbo Breakfast Run within the framework of Expo Sports (Runner’s Fair), along with this year’s charitable contribution from Zurich Foundation of 1 euro per finisher for Art Paliativo. Furthermore, on race day Sunday, TV3 (CCMA) will broadcast the event live across its TV, radio, and digital channels, and a highlights program will later be available on Teledeporte (RTVE).