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Historical Marathon Results to Count Towards the European Marathon Classics Challenge from July 15

Beginning 15 July 2026, runners from around the world will be able to add and verify historical marathon finishes from all eight European Marathon Classics races, allowing performances achieved years or even decades ago, to become part of the European Marathon Classics journey.

The new feature will initially cover hundreds of thousands of marathon results spanning almost five decades, creating one of the world's largest historical marathon databases.

Most importantly, historical finishes will count towards the European Marathon Classics challenge, in which runners who complete five different EMC marathons earn the title of European Marathon Classics Finisher and receive a commemorative medal featuring collectible magnetic coins representing each city they have conquered.

European Marathon Classics was officially launched in February 2026, bringing together eight of Europe's most iconic marathons in Rome, Vienna, Madrid, London, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Lisbon and Frankfurt. Beyond being a marathon series, EMC aims to strengthen cooperation between race organisers while inspiring more people across Europe to embrace running and healthy lifestyles.

The recognition of historical results was announced during the official launch in Vienna. Less than five months later, that vision is becoming reality through a strategic partnership with LetsDoThis, enabling runners to verify their previous marathon finishes directly through their personal EMC profiles.

- Every marathon tells a story, and every finisher deserves to be part of that story - said Kathrin Widu, a co-CEO of the Vienna City Marathon. - Thousands of runners completed these races long before European Marathon Classics existed. Their achievements helped build the legacy of these marathons, and we believe they should be recognised. This is a fundamental statement about what EMC stands for: celebrating every marathon journey, regardless of when it began – she emphasizes.

From a technical perspective, this is a major undertaking involving hundreds of thousands of historical results etc.

For many runners, this means that marathons completed long before the creation of European Marathon Classics may already count towards the challenge. Once verified, these historical performances will generate digital e-coins within the runner's EMC profile, bringing them closer to earning the official EMC Finisher medal.

Not all member races have complete historical archives covering nearly 50 years of marathon history. In many cases, responsibility for organising the events has changed over the decades, making it impossible to recover every historical result.

For this reason, the first phase of the programme will include all results currently available within the EMC database. In the next phase, runners whose performances are not yet listed will be able to submit individual verification requests, allowing additional historical results to be added over time.

Key Facts

• Historical results verification launches 15 July 2026
• Available at www.europeanmarathonclassics.eu
• Covers hundreds of thousands of marathon results spanning almost 50 years
• Applies to all EMC member races in Rome, Vienna, Madrid, London, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Lisbon and Frankfurt
• Every verified historical finish generates a digital e-coin within the runner's EMC profile
• Registration for and participation in European Marathon Classics is free of charge. Runners only pay the standard entry fees for the individual marathons they choose to enter.
• To become an European Marathon Classics Finisher, participants must complete five different EMC marathons. There is no time limit for completing the challenge.
• More than 15,000 runners from 125 countries have already joined European Marathon Classics.
• The first European Marathon Classics medals will be awarded during the 48th Warsaw Marathon on 27 September 2026, followed by Lisbon (10 October) and Frankfurt (25 October).

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About European Marathon Classics

European Marathon Classics (EMC) brings together eight of Europe's most iconic marathons: Rome, Vienna, Madrid, London, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Lisbon and Frankfurt.

More than a marathon series, EMC is a long-term collaboration promoting healthier lifestyles, stronger running communities, knowledge sharing between race organisers and the continued growth of marathon running across Europe.

www.europeanmarathonclassics.eu

Media Contact
European Marathon Classics LLP
90 Great Dover Street, London, United Kingdom, SE1 4YB

Media Team
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