The inaugural Riga Marathon began on July 27, 1991, near the Freedom Monument, immediately after the dramatic days of the barricades. In its more than thirty years of existence, the event has seen both the chaos of the 1990s, the the decline in the interest of sponsors and participants at the beginning of the 2000s, and the revival in 2007, the fastest growth in Northern Europe, culminating in the World Athletics Gold Label, the times of global pandemics created constraints and virtual running.

 

In 2023, the Rimi Riga Marathon is starting with the campaign Riga – World Capital of Running 2023. The World Running Championship will be held in Riga for the first time, the right to organize it was won by the Rimi Riga Marathon team, but the traditional Rimi Riga Marathon on May 6 – 7, 2023 will be a dress rehearsal for the World Championship.

 

The road to success was long and filled with obstacles and peculiarities, as one would expect from a genuine marathon.