Riga to host the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships

8 October 2021

World Athletics has confirmed Riga’s bid to host the 2023 World Road Running Championships. This will take place in a new format for the first time, and will include both the 5 km and half marathon world championships, gathering world-class elite athletes and running enthusiasts from around the world. Riga won its bid to host the World Athletics Road Running Championships over twelve other cities worldwide.

The application to host the 2023 Championships in Riga was put together by the Rimi Riga Marathon team in collaboration with the Latvian Athletics Association, Riga City Council, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We have been dreaming about the chance to organize these running world championships in Riga for a long time, so the news that the World Athletics Board had decided on Riga as host for the Championships fulfilled a long-held dream. We want the 2023 World Championships to serve as a significant step towards popularizing running and athletics, inspire the next generation, and allow Riga to shine on the world running stage. The World Championships, which will have a new format in Riga for the first time, will strengthen Riga in the long term as a location for leading international running events.

Aigars Nords

Head of the Riga World Athletics Road Running Championships organizing team

We are of interest to the world not just because of our geography, history, architecture, charm and investment opportunities, but also for our talent at organizing ENGsignificant world sporting and cultural events. I thank our team who were able to convince World Athletics of Riga’s advantages in hosting the World Athletics Road Running Championships, and I cannot wait for 2023 when the Championships will take place in Riga in their new format for the first time.

Mārtiņš Staķis

Mayor of Riga

Registration for the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga

Take the opportunity to participate in the World Championship Road Running mass races, earning your first World Road Running Championship medals!

Any recreational runner can register for the road mile (1609 m), 5 kilometer and half-marathon distances of the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga!

Remember that registration prices increase as the event approaches, so register now!

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