OLYMPIC GAMES | MARATHON
Marathon at the 2024 Olympics in Paris: rules, distance, course and map of the race
Here’s everything you need to know about the Olympic marathon, one of the most iconic events of the calendar.
The Olympic marathon is a storied event with a rich history that has become synonymous with the Olympic Games. Ever since its debut in 1896 at the first modern Olympics in Athens, the marathon has been a key part of the schedule, with the fact that no athlete has ever won more than two medals in this race highlights its difficulty.
Scheduled for 10 August 2024 for the men’s race and 11 August 2024 for the women’s race, this 42.195km (26.2 miles) race will traverse a route that not only challenges the 160 athletes (total) but also showcases the landmarks that make Paris one of the most iconic cities in the world.
The event recognised with this year’s Olympic marathon route is a standout moment from the French Revolution: the Women’s March on Versailles, on 5 October 1789.
OLYMPIC ATHLETES FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF A HISTORIC MARCH
On 5 and 6 October 1789, market women, shopkeepers and workers from the popular quarters gathered in front of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris to demand bread and arms. Between 6,000 and 7,000 Parisian women, joined by men, marched through Paris to Versailles to bring the King back to the Tuileries. That day, Louis XVI finally agreed to ratify the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens - Olympic Games official website
Olympic Games marathon route
The marathon route will link the Hôtel de Ville in Paris to Versailles. It will also pass through nine of the Île-de-France region’s districts, iconic parks and forests, and the majestic Palace of Versailles site: Boulogne-Billancourt, Sèvres, Ville d’Avray, Versailles, Viroflay, Chaville, Meudon and Issy-les-Moulineaux.
Paris Olympic marathon landmarks:
- Hôtel de ville de Paris
- Bourse de commerce
- Palais Brongniart
- Opéra Garnier
- Place Vendôme
- Jardin des Tuileries
- The Louvre
- Place de la Concorde
- The bridges of Paris (Pont de l’Alma; Alexandre III; Iena)
- Grand Palais
- Palais de Tokyo
- Jardins du Trocadéro
- Maison de la Radio
- Manufacture et Musées nationaux de Sèvres
- Forêt domaniale des Fausses-Reposes
- Pershing - Lafayette Monuments
- Château de Versailles
- Forêt domaniale de Meudon
- Parc André Citroën
- Eiffel Tower
- Musée Rodin
- Esplanade des Invalides
The challenging route is nowhere near flat: it will include a 436m climb and 438m descent, with the maximum gradient on the route sitting at a hamstring-burning 13.5%.