The Hague hosts inaugural NN Marathon with 21,000 participants

The first edition of the NN Marathon The Hague took place on November 1, 2026, drawing approximately 21,000 participants across various distances. About 9,500 runners completed the full 42.195 kilometer course, making it the third largest marathon in the Netherlands, following Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

In the men's race, Elijah Saurey Kibet won with a time of 2:09:04, finishing thirteen seconds ahead of runner-up Joshua Kipsang Kemboi. Alex Mutai took third place. Björn Koreman was the fastest Dutch man, finishing fifth in 2:18:23.

In the women's category, Doreen Chesang secured victory in 2:24:34, finishing nearly seven minutes ahead of second-place Nigist Muluneh. Sharon Jerono completed the podium in third. Maxime Kromwijk was the top Dutch female finisher, placing sixth.

The event saw various personal milestones, including presenter Jan Versteegh completing his first marathon in 3:47:00. The Red Cross provided medical support, noting that the rising popularity of marathons requires increased medical preparedness, particularly regarding heat-related injuries and improper clothing choices.