The world's largest women-only marathon is now also the highest-paying race.
The Nagoya Women’s Marathon announced it will increase the prize money for its. Next year’s winner will take home USD $250,000, which makes the Nagoya Women’s Marathon the highest-prize paying race in the world.
“The goal is to have the fastest female marathoners gathered from across the world in Nagoya,” said the organizers in the press release.
“Our goal is to show the talent and outstanding ability of female athletes.” All athletes will also receive an embodied Tiffany pendant, congratulating them on their race completion.
The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is the largest women-only marathon globally and the only women's road race with a World Athletics Platinum label. Japanese organisers are planning to hold the marathon which is scheduled for 13th March 2022, with a full field of 22,000 runners.
World Athletics said the increase in prize money is "welcome news to the world of road running" after the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the race calendar.
In 2019, Nagoya hosted 21,436 runners but due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it only staged an elite race with 110 athletes in 2020.
Entries for the 2022 edition are due to open next month.
If you are looking to have your shot at 250,000 dollars, the race has opened its elite applications. Any female athlete, who has run under 2:50 for the marathon, is eligible for this race.
Elite Field Eligibility:
(1) Female athletes who meet conditions (i) and (ii) (i) An FY2021 JAAF-registered athlete who is 19 years of age or older on race day
(ii) An athlete who has met one of the time standards below as a JAAF-registered athlete at a certified competition inside or outside Japan on or after March 1, 2020:
1) Marathon under 2:50:00
2) 30 km under 1:55:00
3) Half marathon under 1:15:00
4) 20 km or 20,000 m under 1:11:00
5) 10 km or 10,000 m under 34:00
(2) Athletes recommended by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations
(3) Foreign or domestic-based athletes invited by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations
