{"id":5670,"date":"2026-06-13T08:07:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T05:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/?p=5670"},"modified":"2026-06-23T08:13:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T05:13:48","slug":"%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ab%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%83%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d8%aa%d8%a7%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%b6%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%89-abbott-world-marathon-majors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ab%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%83%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d8%aa%d8%a7%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%b6%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%89-abbott-world-marathon-majors\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cape Town Marathon Joins the Abbott World Marathon Majors"},"content":{"rendered":"

For more than two decades, the compass of major international marathons has pointed firmly toward the northern hemisphere. Japan, the United States, and Europe had a monopoly on the dream of aspiring runners to race alongside the legends of the sport, while the African continent\u2014despite being the birthplace of the greatest long-distance runner in history\u2014remained merely an exporter of talent who claimed victory on podiums beyond its borders. This geographical monopoly was finally broken in a historic shift that is redrawing the map of global running; the organizing committee announced that Cape Town would join as the eighth marathon in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, and the first Race<\/a> He represents the African continent at this exceptional international forum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This transformation is not merely an organizational achievement for South Africa; it is a fundamental shift in the sporting aspirations of millions around the world. For us in the Arab region, Africa\u2019s entry into global competition opens up a whole new world and puts an end to decades of logistical and financial challenges that have long stood as a barrier between Arab runners and the major world stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is <\/strong>Abbott World Marathon Majors<\/strong>\u061f<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Abbott World Marathon Majors series was founded in 2006 (according to the series\u2019 official website), and it was not merely a collection of ordinary races; rather, it brought together the elite races that adhere to highly complex technical and organizational standards to represent the pinnacle of global endurance racing. For decades, earning the \u201cSix Star Finisher Medal\u201d has been the highest honor for any amateur runner\u2014an international recognition of completing the original six races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the ongoing development and rise of Australia, represented by Marathon<\/a> Sydney, the seventh race, Cape Town has arrived to change the game as the eighth marathon, spreading the major international events throughout the year and giving runners a unique opportunity to plan and prepare across the different seasons, as shown by the timing of the eight races:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marathon<\/strong><\/td>City\/ Country<\/strong><\/td>Usual Estimated Date<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Tokyo Marathon<\/td>Tokyo, Japan<\/td>March<\/td><\/tr>
Boston Marathon<\/td>Boston, United States<\/td>April<\/td><\/tr>
London Marathon<\/td>London, United Kingdom<\/td>April<\/td><\/tr>
Cape Town Marathon<\/strong><\/td>Cape Town, South Africa<\/strong><\/td>May<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Sydney Marathon<\/td>Sydney, Australia<\/td>September<\/td><\/tr>
Berlin Marathon<\/td>Berlin, Germany<\/td>September<\/td><\/tr>
Chicago Marathon<\/td>Chicago, United States<\/td>October<\/td><\/tr>
New York Marathon<\/td>New York, United States<\/td>November<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why does the Cape Town Marathon deserve this status?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An African city\u2019s securing of a spot among the world\u2019s marathon giants was no accident; rather, it was the result of an extremely rigorous evaluation process that lasted for three consecutive years as a \u201cCandidate Race.\u201d For any race to join this elite group, it must meet more than 100 precise organizational and technical criteria directly overseen by Abbott\u2019s evaluation committees\u2014ranging from the complete and safe closure of race courses to traffic, to crowd management, the provision of top-notch medical care, and water stations strategically placed with scientific precision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has fully proven its worth on the ground; official race reports reveal that it successfully attracted more than 20,000 runners to the various events held during the marathon weekend, with participants representing more than 80 countries around the world. This success in terms of both audience turnout and organization is backed by a strong technical standing; The race has held the World Athletics Gold Label since 2015, making it a favorite destination for Africa\u2019s fastest runners from Kenya and Ethiopia, who take to the streets of Cape Town in search of breaking personal and international records.

Perhaps the most telling indication of the status Cape Town has come to hold in the world of marathons is that Eliud Kiptuch, one of the greatest marathon runners in history\u2014a former world record holder, two-time Olympic champion, and winner of 11 Abbott World Marathon Majors titles\u2014 \u2014 has chosen Cape Town 2026 to be his first official marathon on the African continent. This choice was no coincidence, but rather a clear message to the world that Africa is now at the heart of the global marathon scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does This Mean for Arab Rivalry? (The End of the Logistics Dilemma)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we talk about the heart of this achievement, we immediately turn to what it means for Arab runners in particular. For many years, the desire to compete in one of the World Marathon Majors races meant entering a grueling logistical and financial ordeal. Traveling to Boston, Chicago, or Tokyo required massive budgets and complicated visa procedures that might ultimately be denied, in addition to the greatest physical challenge: jet lag. Traveling for ten hours or more across time zones with differences of up to nine hours was enough to disrupt a runner\u2019s biological clock and exhaust their muscles just a few days before stepping onto the starting line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cape Town is now poised to completely resolve this logistical challenge, offering the geographically and culturally closest alternative to the Arab region. South Africa is in the GMT+2 time zone, which is identical to that of Egypt and the Levant, and differs by only one or two hours from the Arab Gulf states. This means that runners arriving from Dubai, Amman, or Cairo will step off the plane at full strength and with their biological rhythms intact, without having to spend an entire week adjusting to disruptive time differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, flights to Cape Town from major Arab airports offer a variety of options at affordable and reasonable prices compared to flights to North America or Australia. Furthermore, the process of obtaining an e-Visa for South Africa has become much smoother and clearer for many Arab nationalities. The world stage is no longer out of reach, and the dream of the Majors has become a realistic goal that requires only a commitment to Long-Distance Training Plan<\/strong><\/a> And begin the preparations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Look at the Course and the Atmosphere of the Challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The technical aspects of the course are what concern every runner planning to register, and here Cape Town offers an exceptional visual and physical experience. The race takes place in the last third of May, which marks the end of fall in the Southern Hemisphere. Official climate data for the city indicates that temperatures at this time range between 13 and 22 degrees Celsius\u2014ideal weather that runners refer to as \u201crecord-breaking weather,\u201d as it allows the body to cool efficiently and protects it from the risk of heat stress and dehydration that we often face in races in our region of the Arab world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon course is cleverly designed to combine speed and beauty; it features a flat and fast profile with very low elevation gain, making it ideal for beginners looking to complete their first marathon, or experienced runners hoping to break their personal bests by Tracking their path<\/strong><\/a> Throughout the 42 kilometers, running there turns into an inspiring sightseeing tour; the route stretches alongside the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean and passes through the city\u2019s historic neighborhoods, all under the majestic shadow of one of the city\u2019s most important landmarks, \u201cTable Mountain\u201d (Table Mountain), which accompanies the runners\u2019 every step like a living natural painting, energizing them all the way to the finish line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your next step starts right now<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It should be noted that the official announcement was made on June 10, 2026, while the May 23, 2027, edition will be the first official Cape Town Marathon under the Abbott World Marathon Majors umbrella, As for the runners in the 2026 edition who completed the race, they will receive their star retroactively in recognition of their support during the qualification phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Cape Town becoming the eighth marathon in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, the landscape of athletic ambition has changed, and those goals are no longer out of reach. Africa, which has long inspired us with its runners, is now opening its arms to host the dreams of its people and those of runners from around the world by hosting one of the Majors on its streets, with organizational standards rivaling those of Boston and London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distances have shrunk and logistical excuses are a thing of the past; the path to the world now runs through a continent that\u2019s close to us, both climatically and geographically. Before you make your big decision and pack your bags, be sure to choose the right shoes for a long race\u2014they\u2019ll be your companions on this journey of self-discovery. Will Cape Town and its African star be your next destination on the agenda?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register now\u2014the registration period runs from June 10 through June 24, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Registration for the 2027 Cape Town Marathon lottery is now open through June 24, 2026, and the results will be announced on June 26. This is your only chance to secure a spot in the first African marathon in the history of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register now on the race's official website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For more than two decades, the compass of major international marathons has pointed firmly toward the northern hemisphere. Japan, the United States, and Europe had a monopoly on the dream of aspiring runners to race alongside the legends of the sport, while the African continent\u2014despite being the birthplace of the greatest long-distance runner in history\u2014remained merely an exporter of talent who claimed victory on podiums beyond its borders. This geographical monopoly was finally broken in a historic shift that is redrawing the map of global running; the organizing committee announced that Cape Town would join as the eighth marathon in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, and the first<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[87,35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-87","category-almadrasah"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5670"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5670\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5671,"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5670\/revisions\/5671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5670"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5670"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urkod.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}