The Sarajevo Run Fest, the largest running festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was successfully held today on the streets of Sarajevo, bringing together more than 3,000 participants from over 50 countries.
The central event of the festival was the Persil Sarajevo Half Marathon, while the program also featured the Metromedia Sarajevo 5K and the Fun Run, attracting runners of different ages, abilities, and levels of physical fitness.
More than half of the participants came from abroad, once again confirming Sarajevo’s growing position as an attractive running destination in the region.
In the Persil Sarajevo Half Marathon, Hungarian runners claimed both victories. Adam Lomb successfully defended his title from last year, crossing the finish line in 1:04:59, while Tunde Szabo won the women’s race with a time of 1:19:23.
In the Metromedia 5K, Berin Mušanović of AK Bosna won the men’s competition with a time of 17:47, while Emina Alagić of the Sport Vision 2026 team was the fastest woman, finishing in 18:45.
The fastest Bosnian representative in the Persil Sarajevo Half Marathon was Emir Hastor of AK Goražda, who completed the race in 1:09:23. Among the female representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the best result was achieved by Dijana Manđeralo of AK Runners Livno, who finished in 1:27:22.
“The race was incredibly close and tense right up to the very end. The competition was fierce, but in the final meters, I managed to find an extra burst of energy and cross the finish line first. I am especially happy to have won in Sarajevo again. It is always a pleasure to run here; the atmosphere is fantastic, and I look forward to returning every time,” said Adam Lomb after the race.
Erol Mujanović of the Marathon Sarajevo Association said the organizers were extremely pleased with this year’s festival.
“We are extremely pleased with this year’s edition of the Sarajevo Run Fest. The smiles, emotions, and positive energy of the runners at the finish line are the best proof that we provided them with a wonderful experience to take home from Sarajevo. Runners from over 50 countries participated in the various races, demonstrating the event’s international significance,” Mujanović said.
He added that next year will mark the 20th edition of the Sarajevo Half Marathon, with organizers expecting an even richer program and an additional 1,000 to 2,000 participants.
“I would like to extend special thanks to all the volunteers, without whom organizing an event of this scale would not be possible,” Mujanović said.
One of the festival’s most emotional moments was the presentation of the “Duša od čovjeka” (“A Heart of Gold”) award to Irena Lubura. The award recognizes humanity, solidarity, and the willingness to transform a personal sporting challenge into support for people in need.
Through a charity campaign in which kilometers run were “purchased” to raise funds, Lubura collected the largest amount, demonstrating that running can go beyond sporting achievements and contribute to meaningful change in the community.
The Sarajevo Run Fest once again sent a strong message of inclusion and togetherness. Professional athletes, recreational runners, children, people with disabilities, and entire families shared the same courses, demonstrating that running can bring people together regardless of age, experience, or physical ability.
The festival program began a day earlier with the Crvena jabuka market Bambini Marathon, which brought together children aged two to six and introduced the youngest participants to the joy of running.
The partners of Sarajevo Run Fest 2026 are Persil, Vivia, Powerade, Sport Vision, Adidas, Crvena jabuka market, Metromedia Group, BH Telecom, and Centar Skenderija.
The event was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Sarajevo Canton, the Tourist Board of the Sarajevo Canton, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Ministry of Transport of the Sarajevo Canton, the Ministry of the Interior of the Sarajevo Canton, and the Municipality of Stari Grad.
