World Rankings Competition status places Colombo Marathon on the World Athletics Global Calendar, marking a significant milestone for Sri Lankan athletics as preparations advance
Organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Colombo Marathon 2026 has achieved a significant milestone for Sri Lankan athletics, with its application validated by World Athletics and the competition registered for publication on the World Athletics Global Calendar as a World Rankings Competition.
The Colombo Marathon 2026 will take place on 13 September 2026 at Baladaksha Mawatha, with the race starting at 6.00 a.m. More than 4,000 local and international participants are expected to take part across four categories: the Full Marathon (42 km), Half Marathon (21 km), 10 km Road Race and 5 km Fun Run.
The recognition gives the marathon international competitive status, with performances from the event eligible to contribute towards the official World Athletics World Rankings, subject to the applicable requirements. For Sri Lankan athletes, it creates an opportunity to compete in a globally recognised ranking competition on home ground, while giving international athletes another recognised race on the global calendar.
The development comes as preparations gather pace, with technical planning now focused on ensuring that the race delivers the standards expected of a World Rankings Competition. A key area of preparation is the technical management and measurement of the course. International technical expertise is being brought together with Sri Lankan officials as the organisers work towards ensuring that the course and race arrangements meet the requirements associated with the event’s World Athletics status.
More than 100 qualified officials from Sri Lanka Athletics will support the conduct of the race, with preparations also involving the Department of Sports Development, Sri Lanka Athletics and the Institute of Sports Medicine. The technical work covers course measurement, technical officiating, athlete safety, medical preparedness and race-day operations, ensuring that the standard of its on-the-ground delivery matches the international recognition secured by the event.
“Being recognised as a World Rankings Competition and included on the World Athletics Global Calendar is a significant milestone for Sri Lankan athletics. It allows our athletes to compete on home ground at a globally recognised event, while placing Colombo firmly on the international road-running map,” said Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Gamage,
The recognition also strengthens the Colombo Marathon’s potential to attract international participation and support Colombo’s wider ambitions as a destination for sports tourism, while allowing Sri Lankan athletes to compete within a globally recognised competitive environment without travelling overseas.
As the countdown continues, the focus now is on translating the recognition achieved through the World Athletics Global Calendar into a technically sound and professionally delivered race, with Colombo preparing to welcome athletes from Sri Lanka and overseas.
Colombo Marathon 2026 is organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports together with the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka. The event is presented by Union Assurance, powered by Elephant House, supported by Nations Trust Bank and City of Dreams Sri Lanka, with Rupavahini as the Official Media Partner, DC Group as the Creative Partner, Nestomalt as the Energised Partner and IPG Group as the Sports Innovation Partner.
