On March 22, the Warsaw Half Marathon (Półmaraton Warszawski) will celebrate its 20th anniversary. This year was a record even before the start – there were no free places left for the competition two months before the event. We tell you how the race became so popular, what awaits the participants on the route and what records it keeps.
History of the half marathon
Півмарафон у Варшаві у 2010 році. Зображення з en.wikipedia.org
The first Warsaw Half Marathon took place on March 26, 2006. Almost 1100 participants took to the start at that time.
The winners then were Michael Karonei from Kenya and the representative of Poland Małgorzata Jamroz. Karonei covered the distance in 1:04:12, and Jamroz finished with a result of 1:14:47.
Every year, interest in the race grew. The number of participants increased, and today thousands of runners from different countries are already starting at the start, and the atmosphere of the competition has long become a special part of the life of the city.
Half marathon route
Карта маршруту півмарафону у Варшаві. Зображення з polmaratonwarszawski.com
The start and finish of the Warsaw Half Marathon are located next to the Kazimierz Górski National Stadium. The race starts at the Poniatowski Bridge, and the finish line is near the Warsaw-Stadion railway station.
The route passes through the city center and covers several famous locations in Warsaw. Runners run past Castle Square, Warsaw Citadel and the Zoo. Participants cross the Vistula River twice, in particular through the Gdansk Bridge, after which the distance returns to the stadium area, where the finish line is located.
The profile of the track is considered quite fast. The altitude of the route ranges from 80 to 112 meters above sea level. The start is at around 96 m, and the finish line is about 83.5 m. Most of the route is flat, but there are several climbs. The most noticeable of them is located at the 15th kilometer.
Half marathon records and multiple winners
Over the years, the Warsaw Half Marathon athletes have shown many strong results. The men’s record belongs to the runner from Tanzania, Emmanuel Ginika Gisamoda. In 2022, he covered the distance in 1:00:30 and showed the fastest result in the history of the race.
The women’s record was set by Ethiopian athlete Amina Abde. In 2023, she finished with a time of 1:07:08.
Among the athletes there are those who have won in Warsaw several times in a row. The most successful participant remains the representative of Kenya Michael Caroney. He won the half marathon for four years in a row – from 2006 to 2009. His best result was 1:02:49.
Another athlete who has repeatedly climbed to the first place is Pauline Njeru. She set a track record in 2014 with a time of 1:09:06, and in 2018 she won gold with a time of 1:10:01.
Ukrainian athletes also wrote their names in the history of the Warsaw Half Marathon. In 2021, runners from Ukraine won the first places in both categories at once.
In the men’s competition, Bohdan Semenovych won, who covered the distance in 1:04:28. Among women, the first place was taken by Valentyna Varetska with a result of 1:17:14.
Богдан Семенович став переможцем у 2021 році. Зображення з bituk.media
How to become a member
Registration for the 2026 Warsaw Half Marathon has already been completed. The cost of participation this year was from PLN 190.
Planning to participate in the next race? Here’s how to get into the list of participants.
- Visit the official website. It is there that online registration for participants opens.
- Choose a distance. You can register for the main race – a half marathon of 21.1 km or for a shorter distance New Balance High Five (5 km), which runs in parallel.
- Fill out the registration form. Enter your first and last name, date of birth, and country of residence.
- Pay the entry fee. Payment is usually made by bank card.
- Get verified. After payment, confirmation of registration and participant number are sent to your email.
Before the race, athletes receive starter packages at a special pick-up point. And on the day of the half marathon, all that remains is to come to the start and cover the distance.
Interesting facts about the half marathon
The Warsaw Half Marathon is included in the list of prestigious international races. It has the status of the World Athletics Silver Label Road Race, which is given to events with a high level of organization and a strong line-up.
The number of athletes here is constantly growing. For example, in 2025, 14,720 participants took to the start, which was a record for half marathons in Poland.
In terms of the number of finishers, this competition ranks second among athletic events in Poland. Only the Warsaw Independence Day Run gathers more participants.
At the end of the half marathon, we will definitely share the results on the website. Follow our blog — there is still a lot of interesting things ahead!
