A New Chapter for Running, with Cape Town in the Picture

Photo Credit: Tom Shutkin via Pexels

The Mother City features in World Athletics’ championship portfolio as the governing body establishes a dedicated department to grow running globally.

Cape Town, South Africa (02 November 2026) – Cape Town’s growing reputation as a destination for major running events could receive another boost following World Athletics’ decision to establish a dedicated department focused on running and mass participation.

The international governing body has created a standalone Running & Mass Participation department, which will oversee a broad portfolio of activities, including road running, marathons, cross-country, mountain and trail running championships. Cape Town is among the destinations included in its championship portfolio.

The move is particularly significant for South Africa, where mass participation events have become an important part of the sporting landscape, bringing together elite athletes, recreational runners and entire communities.

World Athletics says the new department will help strengthen its involvement in the global running ecosystem, with a greater emphasis on growing participation, improving safety and protecting the integrity of the sport.

The department will be led by Jakob Larsen, an experienced sports administrator who has been involved in developing major international events, including the 2014 World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen and the 2019 World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus.

He will work alongside Alessio Punzi, who has helped establish World Athletics’ presence in the global running space over the past decade.

According to World Athletics, research suggests that at least one billion people worldwide participate in running in some form, making athletics the most widely participated sport in the world.

South Africa London Marathon — Photo Credit: Pexels

They believe mass participation running has an important role to play beyond competition, contributing to mental wellbeing, public health, social connection and economic development in host cities.

More than 320 road races around the world currently carry a World Athletics road race label.

Its work extends to research into the effects of heat on endurance athletes, helping organisers better understand and manage the health risks associated with running in increasingly warm conditions.

With Cape Town featuring in World Athletics’ championship portfolio, the establishment of this new department is an encouraging development for the local running community and the country’s broader athletics industry.

For a country with a strong road-running culture, the renewed international focus on mass participation could create further opportunities to grow the sport and strengthen South Africa’s place on the global running map.