In less than 10 weeks’ time – on 12 and 13 April – Leuven and Brussels will get the premiere of hosting the very first European Running Championships. Top runners and a mass of recreational runners will stand shoulder to shoulder at the start of the marathon, half marathon and 10 km. Michael Somers is resolutely going for gold in the marathon, but the European Championships are above all for everyone.
The first European Running Championships lift the marathon and half marathon from the European (track) Athletics Championships and bundle the road races into a new two-year championship. Elite runners compete for the European titles, but it simultaneously doubles as an ‘open’ championship which any recreational runner can enter. Leuven is the beating heart of the European Championships on 12 and 13 April where all the races finish. The marathon starts in Brussels on Sunday.
Jessica Mayon (LBFA): “We are delighted to welcome this exceptional competition. Sport is a vector of many values, including inclusion. In addition to our top athletes, we will encourage athletes with disabilities, refugees and many other athletics enthusiasts. We will be able to enjoy a beautiful celebration for all in April.”
Gery Follens (Atletiek Vlaanderen): “Atletiek Vlaanderen wants to seize this unique international running festival as an opportunity to build bridges with schools and disadvantaged groups, whilst also connecting elite sport and grassroots sport with athletics clubs.”
“This first edition of the European Running Championships is putting Flanders on the map as the place where top sport and grassroots sports organisations come together,” said Flemish Minister for Sport Annick De Ridder. “This unique event brings together both elite athletes and recreational runners and shows our ambition to attract even more international sports competitions. A strong sports climate inspires not only our elite athletes, but also thousands of other athletes who want to push their limits. Flanders invests in sports, and these championships once again confirm our status as a sports nation.”
With the start at the Royal Palace in Brussels, it could hardly be more symbolic for the first edition of a brand-new European championship. An estimated 13,000 marathon runners from all corners of Europe will then set off in a straight line to Leuven via Rue de la Loi, Berlaymont, Woluwe and Tervuren. An exciting passage criss-crossing the city awaits them in Leuven where they finish in the same spot where Julian Alaphilippe became World Road Champion in 2021.
Leuven forms the heart of these European Running Championships. All races finish and – apart from the marathon – start on the Leuven ring road at Parkpoort. First, the half marathon heads to the north of the city – after a steep climb up Keizersberg – and the banks of the Vaart before moving through the city. The 10K is largely confined to the city centre. The last 4km is the same for all three distances and goes from the Vaartkom to Bondgenotenlaan and via Ladeuzeplein to the ring road for the final 600m.
At the Philipssite by Parkpoort, participants will gather before and after the race and there will be a large supporters’ area by the podium where the winners will be honoured. The Ladeuzeplein will also become one big fan village with TV screens, music and entertainment. In Brussels, the Parc de Bruxelles will be the starting village for the marathon on Sunday.
“Top sporting events that also invite mere mortals to participate make for a unique experience and ambiance.” That was the case with the World Gravel Championships in 2024, and the European Running Championships will offer an even more unique experience. I myself will also be running and I invite all the people of Leuven to join me at the start. Although sometimes I have the impression that a call for action is not necessary, because just about all of Leuven have already put on their running shoes,” says Mohamed Ridouani, the Mayor of Leuven. “It will undoubtedly be a sporting pinnacle – for participants and supporters – and, as far as I am concerned, the beginning of an annual marathon tradition in Leuven.”
“Brussels is the sports capital, and this marathon proves that again,” adds Brussels Mayor Philippe Close. “Welcoming the start of these first-ever European Running Championships is a way of celebrating a dynamic city that organises sporting events with an open view of the city. It will be a unique moment for top athletes and joggers to set off together from the Royal Palace, ready for an amazing course through a stretch of Brussels.”
Currently, 23,000 runners are already registered: 12,000 for the marathon, 8,000 for the half marathon and 3,000 for the 10K, for which entries have only now picked up. One in five participants are currently from abroad, with the Netherlands and France leading the way. The marathon will be the biggest ever in Belgium, already more than doubling the current record, set at the 2024 Antwerp Marathon.
Thomas Huyberechts of Golazo has been involved in these European Championships from the bidding phase and is successfully leading the event: “It has been a tried and tested concept at marathons and street runs for some time, but for the first time, top runners and recreational runners will now run together at an athletics championship. For that reason alone, this event is unique, and it is simultaneously its biggest pull. The elite runners will compete for the podium places, but there will only be a maximum of six per country per distance. The 25 best participants from each country qualify for the national classification, so the better recreational runners can help their country and themselves to a real championship medal here.”
Belgian Athletics has already prepared the Belgian selection for the marathon. In the men’s race, Michael Somers, Thomas De Bock, Joris Keppens, Dorian Boulvin, Yohan Zaradzki and Simon Mestdagh are defending the national colours. For the women, they are Hanne Verbruggen, Kim Geypen, Karen Van Proeyen, Hanna Vandenbussche and Amélie Saussez. The selection process for the two other distances is still ongoing.
Newcomer to Leuven Michael Somers does not hide his ambition for this home race: “I know I can run for medals here and if you can do that, you can win. So, I am going all out for gold. I give my life to this sport and am gradually reaching the level to express that. Regardless of who appears at the start, I have a chance of winning these European Championships. I’m convinced of that.” Somers already displayed his improving form 10 days ago with a brilliant performance in the Seville half marathon, where he ran the third best Belgian time ever.
European Championships for Everyone
This European Championships are truly for everyone, including schoolchildren. A low-threshold activation campaign will be set up in cooperation with MOEV and athletics clubs. The European Running Championships aim not only to get children and young people moving, but also to let them experience the magic of an international sporting event. With relay races and a festive closing event in Leuven, the event aims to link running to fun and experiences.
Sport offers opportunities, regardless of background or situation. In cooperation with organisations such as Les Gazelles de Bruxelles, disadvantaged groups are given the opportunity to take part in this event and share their story. Anyone with an Uitpas at a reduction rate in the Leuven region – or a PasPartoe in Brussels – can register with a substantial discount. This activation process is made possible with the support of EventFlanders and Sport Vlaanderen.
These European Championships will be more than a competition. It will be a paragon of togetherness and connection through sport. Also, for our G-sport athletes, prosthetic limb runners, visually impaired and Special Olympics athletes will have a rightful place at the starting line. Thereby, the European Running Championships aim to set an inspiring example of accessible sport for all.
There are also plenty of opportunities for those who do not run themselves but want to enjoy this unique running festival. It goes without saying that many supporters and spectators will line the course and the streets of Leuven. Those who want to follow it at home can watch both days live on television. VRT1 and the RTBF channels will broadcast all races in full, as will numerous European TV channels thereby putting Leuven, Brussels, Flanders and running in the picture.
“As Minister for Tourism, I am immensely proud that we can organise such great events in Flanders. It puts Flanders on the international map in terms of sport and events. Thanks to the excellent cooperation with Leuven Mayor Mohamed Ridouani, this event will also be a very good stimulus for Leuven’s hospitality industry. A win-win!” concludes Flemish Minister Melissa Depraetere.
