World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga

World Athletics has accepted 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 5km 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 12 other cities worldwide.

The application to host 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,” said Aigars Nords, Head of the Riga World Athletics Road Running Championships organizing team.

“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.”

“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 significant world sporting and cultural events,” said Mārtiņš Staķis, Mayor of Riga. “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.”