Runners from ‘the four corners of the world’ come together in the Copenhagen Marathon, Denmark
Andrei touches a Brazilian flag at the Copenhagen Marathon (Esportividade)
In a European marathon, such as the Copenhagen Marathon in Denmark, non-professional runners from “the four corners of the world” share one single goal: personal achievement, whatever that may be. Unlike the Olympics or the Fifa World Cup, where countries compete against each other, a great sense of collectivity is present among non-professional roadrunners. At the 2024 Copenhagen Marathon on May 5, the “four corners of the world” came together, helped, and motivated each other; foreign medalists accounted for 47.3% of the participants.
Watch the short video of the Copenhagen Marathon:
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South American runners represented the race, too, of course. Forty-three Brazilians, fifteen Argentinians, and eight Chileans, for example, signed up for the 42.195 km race. Eighteen Japanese and fifty-one South Africans helped design the “mosaic” of nations. Each of them had their country’s flag printed on their chest number.
A fellow runner greets me during the Copenhagen Marathon (Esportividade)
Being a Brazilian didn’t prevent me from feeling supported by my fellow runners. Although I was a stranger to all the non-Brazilians taking part in the race, I was encouraged several times not to slow down (with a nudge or a gentle motivational shout-out) by people who realized I was about to do so. Some Brazilian runners also spoke to me (briefly, of course) during the race, as I was wearing a Brazilian flag on the back of my shirt.
Supporters hold signs during the Copenhagen Marathon (Esportividade)
Race organizer Sparta and sponsor Nike held brand activations in English rather than Danish because of the event’s international nature. Signs with motivational (and comic) phrases were handed out to runners and supporters. One of them was, “Smile. Remember: you paid to do this”. The “marathon wall,” a part of the course known for its level of difficulty after km 30, was represented by Nike as a “water curtain” that could be crossed by runners at km 33.
Supporters encourage runners in Denmark (Esportividade)
Copenhagen residents, friends, and family of the foreign runners went to the streets of the Danish capital to support runners. In addition to shouting, holding signs, and cheering, some of them offered their help: on a stretch between two refreshment zones, I was already thirsty and grabbed a bottle of water offered by a supporter.
A cheer when I spotted Renata with the Brazilian flag at the Copenhagen Marathon (Esportividade)
What about the moment runners saw their family or friends in the crowd? I saw several of these encounters. One in particular still comes to mind: an athlete stopped running for a few seconds to hug his family members.
Final stretch at the 2024 Copenhagen Marathon (Esportividade)
The crowd got even bigger in the last 500 meters of the marathon. Despite being exhausted, runners from the “four corners of the world” were driven to use up the (little) energy they still had to complete the 42.195 km. At this moment, Nike’s phrase for the Copenhagen Marathon campaign made even more sense: “15,000 runners and only you can beat yourself”. After 3h56min39s, I completed the second marathon in a sequence of three in Europe.
Viewers from the “four corners” of the world watch the Copenhagen Marathon (Esportividade)
In Brazil, specifically in the city of São Paulo, Nike is organizing a running event to bring together the “four corners” of the city: the Nike São Paulo Run. Non-professional runners will leave from four regions of São Paulo – south, east, central, and west – and arrive at the same point, Charles Miller Square, on July 14, 2024. Road running brings people together, whether from the “four corners of the world” or a city’s “four corners.”
Read more about the Danish marathon (from the viewer’s perspective):
In Copenhagen, Denmark, the marathon is an invitation to ‘follow the steps’ of the athletes
Axel Towers, in Copenhagen, during the marathon (Esportividade)
The coverage of the Danish marathon is part of a series of three events that Esportividade is participating in Europe in April and May 2024. The last event will be the ING Night Marathon in Luxembourg on Saturday, May 11.
In all three marathons, Esportividade has the support of VCM Group, Sparta, and Step by Step organizing companies. The coverage of the Copenhagen Marathon, sponsored by Nike, will also be supported by the Royal Danish Embassy. Andrei and Renata prepared for the challenge in partnership with ClassPass. The sports guide is also supported by Opticalia, a Spanish eyewear brand that recently came to Brazil and wants to revolutionize the sunglass market.
This season, the sports guide shows how runners from the “four corners of the world” come together in marathons. Regardless of the athlete’s place of origin, running is the element that connects them, and one encourages the other.