Under the patronage of President Joseph Aoun and in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the 21st Beirut Marathon transformed the capital’s waterfront into a moving rainbow of 15,000 runners, sending a powerful message about Lebanon’s right to life and peace.
On marathon morning, the Beirut Waterfront was unrecognisable. Instead of traffic and concrete greys, the seafront was filled with colour: club jerseys, charity shirts, national flags, and the bright bibs of thousands of runners who had come to reclaim public space with every stride.
Organised by the Beirut Marathon Association under the patronage of President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun, and with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and his wife Sahar Baassiri Salam in attendance, the 21st edition of the Beirut Marathon brought together around 15,000 runners from 38 countries. For a city that has endured crisis after crisis, it was a rare and much-needed festival of movement.
A Race for Life and the Right to Peace
From the early hours, the atmosphere around the start area was closer to a street carnival than a simple sporting event. Music, dance groups, and warm-up sessions set the tone as runners, volunteers, and families gathered along the waterfront.
Beyond the fun, organisers were clear about the deeper message. The marathon was framed as a declaration of the Lebanese people’s right to peace and normal life, a rejection of violence, destruction, and instability. For several hours, the streets belonged to people on foot, not to political tensions or economic headlines.
Prime Minister Salam, who launched the 5 km race, described the event as the start of a new phase for the country—one aiming for security, stability, and cooperation between state institutions rather than paralysis or conflict.
An International Field on the Beirut Waterfront
The Beirut Marathon has long attracted foreign athletes, but this year’s field underlined its international reach. Runners from across the region and beyond lined up alongside Lebanese club athletes, the Lebanese Army, charity runners, and corporate teams.
In the elite men’s marathon, Ethiopia’s Deriba Tsega broke the tape in 2:15:09, ahead of Kenya’s Emmanuel Serem (2:17:02) and fellow Ethiopian Bekele Fitene (2:20:08). In the women’s field, Ethiopia swept the podium: Lamem Assefa won in 2:31:04, followed by Horissa Degele and Hawi Regisa.
For Lebanese runners, there were triumphs of their own. In the national marathon rankings, Toni Hanna led the men with a 2:30:58 finish, followed by Omar Abu Hamad of the Lebanese Army and Samir Salman. Among the women, Olympian Sherine Njeim topped the Lebanese standings in 2:50:38, ahead of Michel Bedrzek and Katia Rashed.
Half Marathon, 10K, and Special Needs Races
The marathon was just one part of a full programme that gave space to different levels and abilities. In the half-marathon, Lebanese club runners and army athletes battled for local honours. Charbel Sejaan (Inter Lebanon) claimed the men’s title, while Karen Shreim (Blue Stars) led the women’s field.
A dedicated special needs category at the half-marathon distance delivered some of the morning’s most emotional moments, as wheelchair athletes and differently-abled runners were cheered across the timing mats with the same enthusiasm as the elite field.
In the 10K race, rising talent Ali Kanaan of the Lebanese Army took the men’s win, with Serena Hayek (Inter Lebanon) topping the women’s standings. Age-groupers, fun runners, and charity teams filled the rest of the road, proving that the Beirut Marathon is no longer just a marathon—it is a full-scale running festival.
Broadcast, Bands, and a City on Display
The event’s reach extended beyond those physically present on the course. Lebanese broadcaster LBCI, the official media partner, provided live coverage from a field studio set up along the route, hosting guests and sharing updates as results came in.
The Lebanese Army Band played the national anthem during the opening ceremony, underscoring the state’s formal backing of the event and adding to the emotional weight of the day. Between the runners on the road and the coverage on screens, Beirut for a day was defined by sport rather than strain.
More Than Medals: A Reminder of What Beirut Can Be
When the finish line arch finally came down and the last medal was handed out, what lingered was not just times and rankings, but a feeling. For a city too often associated with crisis and uncertainty, the image of 15,000 runners from 38 countries sharing the same roads offered a different story.
The Beirut Marathon cannot solve Lebanon’s political or economic challenges. But by turning the waterfront into a space of joy, pride, and shared effort, it reminded residents—and the wider world—that the country is still capable of staging big, positive, inclusive events.
As organisers and volunteers begin thinking about next year, one lesson is already clear: when the city’s streets belong to people again, even for a few hours, Beirut looks a lot closer to the place its people know it can be.
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