Every year, thousands of running events take place around the globe. To guarantee top-tier standards, the International Association of Athletics Federations (was IAAF, now World Athletics), introduced a quality certification system in 2008.
RunCzech earned this recognition in its very first year for two of its main events – the Prague International Marathon and the Prague Half Marathon. With the necessity to gain a new label every year and through gradual expansion into additional cities and countries over the years, RunCzech has now established itself as the world leader in total number of designations earned (109) in the 18 years up to 2026.
Specifically, this includes 47 Gold, 13 Silver, and 2 Bronze labels, along with 16 Elite and 31 World Athletics Labels earned following the 2021 transition from the original three-tier system (Gold, Silver, Bronze) to the new structure (Platinum, Gold, Elite, and World Athletics Label). On an international scale, no other single race organiser can match such a total of certified events secured over the past nineteen seasons.
In 2026, we remain the sole independent organiser globally, hosting a total of 8 races with this prestigious distinction in one calendar year. This puts RunCzech as Number One, both in historical number of labels collected (109), as well as in the number of label races staged in 2026 (8).
Earning and maintaining a World Athletics Label guarantees absolute precision and adherence to the strictest international standards. For runners and spectators alike, it offers the certainty of a world-class sporting and organisational experience, guaranteeing an accurately measured course certified for official records, top-notch medical and logistical support for thousands of recreational runners, rigorous anti-doping controls, a guaranteed field of world-class elite runners, equal prize money for men and women, and international live broadcasts.
“Back in 2008, I was a big supporter of the international certification of road races. When we started, many couldn’t imagine just how far a project like this could go. Today, RunCzech holds a unique place on the global stage and unerringly delivers world-class events. World Athletics Labels attract thousands of runners from every corner of the planet each year, boosting the local economy alongside our international prestige. I firmly believe that in the future, we will push the quality of our events even higher and continue to deliver unforgettable sporting experiences to runners and fans alike,” says Carlo Capalbo, President of the RunCzech Organising Committee and finally adds: “RunCzech is committed to continuous improvement of its service and we strive to constantly bring industry-leading, useful innovations.”
