140 Runners Become the First EMC Finishers

Just eight months after the launch of European Marathon Classics (EMC), a new series uniting eight of Europe's most iconic marathons, the first chapter of its history has been completed. 140 runners from around the world received the first-ever European Marathon Classics Finisher medals in Warsaw, Lisbon and Frankfurt, becoming the inaugural Class of 2026.

"The first 140 EMC Finishers have achieved something truly special. But what makes me particularly proud is not just the medals or the numbers. It's the incredible diversity of people and stories behind them. Different countries, different generations, different running journeys – all connected by one shared passion. This is exactly what European Marathon Classics was created for: to bring people together through running. And this is only the beginning," said Marek Tronina, CEO of European Marathon Classics.

Eight Runners from Austria Among the First EMC Finishers

Among the inaugural Class of 2026 are eight runners from Austria.

Peter Scheiblhofer from Upper Austria became the first Austrian EMC Finisher, receiving his medal in Warsaw. Gyli Asenova from Vienna became the first Austrian woman to earn the medal in Lisbon, completing the challenge in the shortest possible time of just 185 days. Daniel Stössl and Daniel Novotny-Farkas also received their medals in Lisbon.

In Frankfurt, Helga Marwan-Schlosser collected her EMC Finisher medal. Beyond European Marathon Classics, she has completed at least one marathon in 47 European countries. Dieter Klein, Wolfgang Egger and Karl-Alfred Erber were the other proud Austrian EMC Finishers in Frankfurt.

“The EMC medal means a lot to me because it represents a journey I could hardly have imagined achieving when I first started,” says 34-year-old Gyli Asenova.

Warsaw: Where History Began

The first chapter unfolded in Warsaw on September 27th 2026, where 60 runners received their EMC Finisher medals, becoming the first members of the Class of 2026.

Among them were several remarkable pioneers.

Jerzy Wysokiński of Poland, Donna Dawn Richards of the United Kingdom and Martin Zackor of Germany reached an extraordinary milestone, having completed all eight different EMC marathons by the time they crossed the finish line in Warsaw. They became the first runners to complete the entire eight-race collection and receive the EMC Finisher medals.

Meanwhile, Britain's James Wagstaff achieved his fifth qualifying Classic within a single calendar year, completing Rome, Vienna, London, Copenhagen and Warsaw in 2026 – an impressive journey across Europe in just one marathon season.

Lisbon: New Milestones, New Stories

The journey continued in Lisbon on October 10th 2026, where another 39 runners joined the Class of 2026, bringing the total number of EMC Finishers to 99.

Lisbon also brought new stories of shared achievement, as the series celebrated its first two finishing couples, from Sweden and Poland, who completed the challenge together and received their medals.

Another outstanding achievement belonged to Gyli Asenova of Austria, who completed five EMC marathons in just 185 days – demonstrating that even a challenge without a time limit can inspire extraordinary determination.

Frankfurt: The Class of 2026 Is Complete

The final chapter of this historic inaugural season was written in Frankfurt, where 41 additional runners collected their EMC Finisher medals last Sunday, bringing the Class of 2026 to a total of 140. Once again, the occasion produced inspiring stories and new milestones.

At just 25 years old, Lea Looser of Germany became the youngest EMC Finisher to date, while Ronald Lopez of Venezuela became the first finisher representing South America.

Adding to the remarkable achievements, Hungary’s Ferenc Szalai became only the third runner to complete the entire EMC “Finish Any Five” challenge within a single calendar year – completing all five marathons in 2026!

Together, these achievements demonstrate the truly international appeal of European Marathon Classics – a challenge rooted in Europe but embraced by runners from around the world.

Eight Marathons. Five Finish Lines. One Extraordinary Journey.

European Marathon Classics brings together eight iconic marathons in Rome, Vienna, Madrid, London, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Lisbon and Frankfurt, inviting runners to complete any five of them to earn the prestigious EMC Finisher medal.

The distinctive 12-centimetre medal features interchangeable magnetic city coins representing the five Classics completed by each runner. Every medal is therefore unique, telling a personal story of five finish lines, different cities and unforgettable experiences.

EMC has no time limit. The series also recognises historical marathon results, allowing runners to build on achievements from previous years.

Participation in the EMC challenge is free, with only the standard entry fees for individual marathons applying.

With the inaugural Class of 2026 now complete, European Marathon Classics looks ahead to welcoming many more runners into its growing international community.

>> Register for free and discover your EMC journey!
 

FACTS AND STATS

Class of 2026 by continents: Europe (131), North America (3), Asia (3), Africa (2), South America (1)

Class of 2026 by countries: Poland (34), Germany (21), Great Britain (15), Italy (19), Austria (8), Spain (8), Netherlands (5), Portugal (4), Sweden (4), Denmark (3), Finland (2), South Africa (2), France (2), North Macedonia (2), USA, Serbia, Venezuela, Kuwait, Taiwan, Dominican Republic, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, Hungary – 1 each.

Class of 2026 by gender: men (111), women (29)

The youngest finisher so far: Lea from Germany (25 years, 6 months, and 15 days old on the day of the medal collection in Frankfurt).

The oldest finisher so far: Jerzy from Poland (73 years and 1 month old on the day of the medal collection in Lisbon).