20 km of Brussels
Encyclopedia
The 20 km of Brussels is a 20.1 km race that has been held each year in Brussels
since 1980, usually in May. It used to have a maximum number of 25,000 entries, which were normally sold out quite quickly after places go on sale in March, but in 2010 a staggered start-time approach led to an increased maximum number of entries of 30,000.
The race is a major event in Brussels, with a large turnout of supporters. The course is quite challenging for newcomers, particularly due to the gentle, and largely invisible, climb that covers most of the first seven kilometres. The biggest drawback of the event is the organisation of the start, namely two bottlenecks, where the tens of thousands of participants have to squeeze through the Cinquantenaire
arches and then two comparatively small gateways. Apart from this, and the surprise experienced by tired runners finding the 20 km marker 100 m away from the finish, it is a very popular event, proven by the speed with which the places are snapped up every year.
The course often did not cover a complete 20 km circuit in its early history. The 2000 race was significantly shorter than the full distance and both the men's and women's winners finished the race more than three minutes ahead of the world records at the time.
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
since 1980, usually in May. It used to have a maximum number of 25,000 entries, which were normally sold out quite quickly after places go on sale in March, but in 2010 a staggered start-time approach led to an increased maximum number of entries of 30,000.
The race is a major event in Brussels, with a large turnout of supporters. The course is quite challenging for newcomers, particularly due to the gentle, and largely invisible, climb that covers most of the first seven kilometres. The biggest drawback of the event is the organisation of the start, namely two bottlenecks, where the tens of thousands of participants have to squeeze through the Cinquantenaire
Cinquantenaire
Parc du Cinquantenaire or Jubelpark is a large public, urban park in the easternmost part of the European Quarter in Brussels, Belgium....
arches and then two comparatively small gateways. Apart from this, and the surprise experienced by tired runners finding the 20 km marker 100 m away from the finish, it is a very popular event, proven by the speed with which the places are snapped up every year.
The course often did not cover a complete 20 km circuit in its early history. The 2000 race was significantly shorter than the full distance and both the men's and women's winners finished the race more than three minutes ahead of the world records at the time.
Course records
- Men: 1:00:00 - Najim El Qady (2000)
- Women: 1:07:46 - Marleen RendersMarleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...
(2002)
Winners
KEY:- Short course
Year Men's race Country Time Women's race Country Time 2010 Onesphore Nkunzimana 1:01:29 Alemitu Bekele 1:11:42 2009 Najim El Qady 1:00:00 Alemitu Bekele 1:16:38 2008 Willy Kiptarbei 1:00:36 Fatiha Baouf 1:10:56 2007 Abduh Bakhet Mohamed 1:00:23 Catherine Lallemand 1:12:13 2006 Rik Ceulemans 1:02:37 Catherine Lallemand 1:12:21 2005 Koen van Rie 1:02:06 Catherine Lallemand 1:10:05 2004 Jussi Utriainen 1:00:59 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:10:45 2003 Jussi Utriainen 1:02:38 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:08:54 2002 Ahmed Jaber 1:02:03 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:07:46 2001 Joseph Sitienei 1:01:23 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:10:48 2000 Simon Kasimili 52:42 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:00:07 1999 Mohammed Mourhit Mohammed MourhitMohammed Mourhit is a Belgian top cross country, middle and long distance runner who holds two European records, in the 3000 m and 5000 m. He is also a former European 10000 m record holder...1:00:32 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:10:25 1998 Ondoro Osoro Ondoro OsoroOndoro Osoro is a former Kenyan long-distance runner who competed mostly in cross country and road races.In his early career he won a series of cross country races in Europe and twice represented Kenya at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships...56:15 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:05:07 1997 Simon Bor 55:59 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:03:32 1996 Wilson Omwoyo 55:41 Marleen Renders Marleen RendersMarleen Renders is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country thrice at the Summer Olympics: in 1988, 1996 and 2000...1:03:57 1995 Vincent Rousseau Vincent RousseauVincent Rousseau is a former long-distance runner from Belgium, who competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1984. In 1993, he had his biggest success by winning the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Brussels, the next year followed by the first...56:30 Lieve Slegers Lieve SlegersLieve Slegers is a former long-distance runner from Belgium, who won the Rotterdam Marathon on 28 April 1996 clocking 2:28:06. She represented her native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in the women's 10,000 metres, where she was eliminated in the qualifying heats. Slegers also competed at the...1:03:27 1994 Julius Ondieki 56:06 Lyudmila Afonjushkina 1:05:38 1993 Julius Ondieki 56:58 Lidia Chulanova 1:06:48 1992 David Long 57:48 Maria Ostrovskaya 1:08:20 1991 Ivan Uvizl 57:28 Ria Van Landeghem Ria Van LandeghemMaria Van Landeghem is a former female long-distance runner from Belgium, who competed in road race and marathons. She represented her native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics, finishing in 21st place in the women's marathon.Van Landeghem is a one-time winner of the Stockholm Marathon...1:07:06 1990 Douglas Wakiihuri Douglas WakiihuriDouglas Wakiihuri is a former Kenyan long-distance runner, who won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome. No other male Kenyan runner had ever won the marathon at World Championships or Olympic Games until 2007, when Luke Kibet became a world champion...57:21 Veronique Marot Véronique MarotMarie-Véronique Antoinette Colette Jeannine Marot is a former elite long distance runner from England, and a past winner of the London Marathon....1:06:12 1989 Michael McLeod 58:23 Veronique Marot Véronique MarotMarie-Véronique Antoinette Colette Jeannine Marot is a former elite long distance runner from England, and a past winner of the London Marathon....1:07:01 1988 Steve Brace Steve BraceSteve Brace is a former long-distance runner from Wales, who represented the United Kingdom in the men's marathon at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. He finished in 27th and in 60th place respectively. Brace triumphed at the Paris Marathon in 1989 and 1990 and at the Berlin Marathon in 1991...59:17 Francine Peeters Francine PeetersFrancine Peeters is a retired female long-distance runner from Belgium. She competed for her native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There she ended up in 29th place in the women's marathon...1:08:03 1987 Dirk Vanderherten 57:50 Agnes Pardaens 1:05:23 1986 Dirk Vanderherten 58:40 De Bruycker 1:08:24 1985 Christopher Woodhouse 58:58 Nfn van Bost 1:13:11 1984 Alex Hagelsteens 57:15 Denise Verhaert 1:08:47 1983 Dirk Vanderherten 58:00 Denise Verhaert 1:08:47 1982 Frederik Vandervennet 1:00:00 Daniele Justin 1:12:42 1981 Frederik Vandervennet 59:00 De Beyns 1:07:00 1980 Werner Mory 1:03:00 Magda Ilands Magda IlandsMagda Ilands is a former female long-distance runner from Belgium, who represented her native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics. She won the 1985 edition of the Berlin Marathon.-Achievements:-References:*...1:15.00