On Saturday, the King Baudouin Stadium and the Park of Laeken will once again be the setting for the Brussels Ekiden, the largest relay marathon in the country. 900 teams will be at the start of this 21st edition. In other words, 5,400 runners will cover the legendary marathon distance in relay and compete for the Belgian title on Saturday.
Each Ekiden team consists of six runners. The first, third and fifth runners each cover 5 km, the second and fourth 10 km, and the final runner takes care of the remaining 7.195 km. The start, finish and baton changes will take place on the track of the King Baudouin Stadium, while the rest of the course is laid out in the adjacent Park of Laeken, with a view of the Atomium.
Instead of a traditional relay baton, participants carry a “tasuki”, a ribbon worn diagonally across the chest. Both the terms “ekiden” and “tasuki” come from Japan, where this unique form of running originated. “Eki” means “station” and “den” stands for “changeover”.
In addition to thousands of recreational runners, many athletics clubs also take part in the Brussels Ekiden, with the Belgian title in the relay marathon at stake. In the men’s competition, CABW including Ismael Debjani and Dorian Boulvin, is the top favourite. In the women’s competition, Excelsior is likely to be the team to beat.
The Brussels Ekiden is not only a sporting competition, but above all a unifying event. Dozens of companies, groups of friends and families take part to exercise together, encourage each other and have fun. Over the years, the Brussels Ekiden has grown into one of the most popular team-building events in the country.
As every year, Tous à Bord will also attend. This organisation is committed to helping people with physical disabilities. All Tous à Bord runners will be pushing a buggy on Saturday. In addition, Special Olympics Belgium will also be coming to the King Baudouin Stadium with a large delegation of athletes to take part in the race.
The sports programme starts on Saturday at 12 noon with the Persil Kids Run, where children aged 4 to 12 can let off steam on a 1 km course. At 1 p.m., the starting shot will sound for the Brussels Ekiden.
