Jakarta International Marathon attracts 20,500 runners on day 1

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A total of 20,500 runners turned out for the first day of the 2026 BTN Jakarta International Marathon (BTN JAKIM) on Saturday, competing in the 5K and 10K categories.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung praised the smooth execution of the opening day.

"The streets were clean, everything ran smoothly, and thankfully, everyone had a great time," he said in Jakarta on Saturday.

Pramono stated that the Jakarta Provincial Government fully supports the event, expressing confidence that the second day of the race on Sunday—featuring the half and full marathons—will go even better.

He is already setting his sights on a larger, more organized event next year to coincide with Jakarta's 500th anniversary.

Meanwhile, Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) President Director Nixon LP Napitupulu noted that favorable weather and high public enthusiasm were crucial factors in the success of the opening day.

He emphasized that large-scale sporting events like JAKIM create a positive domino effect for Jakarta's economy.

According to projections by race organizer Indonesia Muda Road Runner, economic turnover from BTN JAKIM 2026 is targeted to reach Rp225 billion (around US$12.6 million), a significant jump from last year's estimate of Rp155 billion.

Overall, BTN JAKIM 2026 drew 45,500 registered runners, including 1,012 international participants from 52 countries, with the highest foreign attendance coming from Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea.

On the first day, 5,500 runners competed in the 5K category and 15,000 in the 10K.

On Sunday, 16,400 runners are set to participate in the half-marathon, while another 8,600 will take on the full marathon.

The course passes several Jakarta landmarks, starting from the National Monument (Monas) area and finishing at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Sports Complex.

Translator: Redemptus Elyonai, Raka Adji

Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono

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