Ten women and four men from Secondigliano Prison to
take part in the Family Run & the Relay.
More than 10,000 runners from 117 nations set to race on Sunday, 22 February.
For one entire weekend Naples becomes the world capital of running as it hosts the Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon, one of the most spectacular and fastest half marathons in Italy, taking place on Sunday, 22 February 2026.
Alongside the main race, the event will feature the Hyundai Relay, team competition split into 10 km + 11.0975 km, and the Family Run & Friends, which will start on today, Saturday, 21 February at 11:00, offering a 2 km route open to everyone.
The three-day Sport Expo at Mostra d’Oltremare — inaugurated by the Army Band and the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony with Maria Caputo, Councillor of Mostra d’Oltremare, and Carlo Capalbo, President of Napoli Running — will be the central hub of the event. The programme includes panels on sustainability and Naples as an international sports capital, bringing together runners, agents, organisers and industry professionals in a way few cities in the world can match.
The “We Run Again” Project: Sport as a Path to Reintegration
The most powerful and emotional moment of the weekend will come on Saturday morning, when ten female inmates from the Pasquale Mandato Prison in Secondigliano will take part in the Family Run & Friends together with their families — husbands and children — in a deeply symbolic reunion made possible through running.
The initiative is part of “We Run Again,” the social project promoted by Napoli Running with the support of Sport e Salute, based on a simple yet powerful idea: running as an educational and rehabilitative tool capable of building discipline, motivation, a sense of belonging and a real pathway towards social reintegration.
Thanks to the joint work of prison authorities, educators, legal-pedagogical staff and Napoli Running coaches — who provided technical support and training programmes — several inmates have prepared for the Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon.
On race day, four male inmates will run the relay, bringing to the start line four different life stories united by sport, friendship, commitment and the support of their fellow inmates.
- Two young brothers will run the second leg together, rediscovering the emotions they once felt on the football field. A promising sporting future interrupted by a mistake has turned into a journey of awareness, proving that dreams can be rebuilt through effort and responsibility.
- Antonio, a florist and gardener by family tradition, studies and works while planning for a new life. For him, running has restored the value of time, love and the future he wants to build with his partner.
- Michele, a former marathon runner and chef, sees this race as a promise to himself — a medal that represents the final step in leaving past mistakes behind.
Sport becomes opportunity.
Sport becomes redemption.
Sport becomes a new beginning.
Record Participation and Strong International Presence
The race has been sold out for over a month, with a record 10,000 runners ready to experience Naples.
- 5,230 international athletes from 117 countries
- Most represented foreign nation: Czech Republic, followed by the United Kingdom, France and Germany
- United States in eighth place among participating countries
- Significant participation from non-European nations including Argentina, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Australia, India and South Korea
Women account for 3,200 participants, a percentage above the national average for the discipline.
Local participation remains strong:
- 1,480 runners from Naples
- 1,830 from the Campania region (the most represented region)
- Followed by Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and Sicily
The Youngest, the Most Experienced and Birthday Runners
The youngest athletes at the start will be 19-year-olds Paolo Manconi and Eliška Šebková, while the most experienced runners will be Sergio Bartolini (82) and Michele Corbisier (73).
A special celebration for 40 runners who will spend their birthday on the race course, turning the event into an unforgettable gift.
Hyundai Relay
The Family Run & Friends (2 km) will take place on Saturday, 21 February at 11:00.
Entry is free for children under 10.
On Sunday, 22 February, the Hyundai Relay will once again combine sport and solidarity: race bibs can be purchased only through participating non-profit organisations, allowing every team to support a charitable cause.
Naples: A Global Running Stage
With its fast course, record-breaking potential and powerful human stories, the Coelmo Napoli City Half Marathon confirms its status as:
- the fastest half marathon in Italy
- a race that unites elite sport, mass participation and social impact
For one weekend, Naples truly becomes the capital of running and you can watch the live stream with ENG commentary on YouTube.
