At midnight heading into Wednesday, August 12, the opportunity to submit an application for entry into the registration ballot for one of the world’s most prestigious races – Generali Prague Half Marathon 2027 – came to a definitive close. The Prague race is a holder of the international athletics federation’s prestigious World Athletics Elite Label, a founder of the SuperHalfs European half marathon series, and the worldwide popularity of the race was also confirmed by the number of received ballot applications, which exceeded the race capacity sixfold.
New system = equal opportunity
For the 27th edition of the popular Prague race, which will take place on April 3, 2027, the organizers moved away from the previous principle where registration speed was decisive, replacing it with a random selection system. The ballot system is a proven standard worldwide and is typically a response to extreme demand as well as an effort to create fair conditions for everyone. During the three-week application window, which launched on Tuesday, July 21, the system accepted more than 70,000 applications. The ballot process itself will now follow, taking place next week, with all participants being informed of the result by email no later than August 21.
The vast majority of applications came from abroad
The race’s global popularity is also demonstrated by the list of registered nationalities. Statistics reported 23% interest from domestic runners and 77% from foreign runners. Representatives of 161 nationalities registered in total, and besides domestic runners, the most represented countries are Great Britain and Germany, followed by other traditional running countries such as Spain, Poland, Portugal, Italy, and France. Interest in running in Prague was shown in large numbers not only by Europeans, but also by nearly 1,300 Brazilians and more than 700 US citizens. The ratio between genders is relatively balanced, although men traditionally hold a slight advantage over women. Several veterans also applied – the oldest male applicant is 87 years old, and for women it is exactly 10 years less. The most dominant age group consists of runners between 26 (for women 21) and 45 (for women 40) years old.
The share of SuperHalfs passport holders, i.e., competitors in the series of prestigious European half marathons of which Generali Prague Half Marathon is a part, reached 45 %.
Second chance for those not drawn
Runners who do not get lucky in the random selection need not lose heart. A portion of start numbers is set aside for RunCzech loyalty programs, official travel agencies, and official charity partners of the race, giving those not drawn a second chance by supporting a good cause. Detailed information about charity programs and conditions will be received by participants by email during September or they will be informed via social media.
