Nagoya Women’s Marathon announces $250,000 USD prize money for 2022 winner

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is delighted to announce that it will increase the prize money for the 2022 race, scheduled on Sunday, March 13, 2022, in Nagoya, Japan to $250,000 USD. This will make the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2022 the highest prize paying marathon in the world.

Being the world’s largest women’s marathon, one of the world’s top-level races, and the only women’s race with a World Athletics Platinum Label, the Nagoya Women’s Marathon made the decision aiming for greater heights as a global leader in women’s running. By holding a higher-level racing among some of the fastest women athletes gathered from across the world, the organizers aim to convey to the global audience the wonders of marathons, particularly the talent and outstanding ability of women athletes.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many road races have been forced to be cancelled or postponed and athletes’ competing opportunities have been lost. It has been a very difficult time for anyone, but athletes were surely ones who have been struggling and facing unprecedented challenges.

Thanks to the dedication of medical professionals and the cooperation of countless citizens in the world, road races are slowly returning despite the pandemic. By announcing the increase in prize money of the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2022, the organizers hope to encourage athletes worldwide and send another piece of positive news to the world of long-distance races, mass participation events, and women’s sports.

The elite field eligibility of the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2022 is as below. Further details of the registration will be announced on the race website in December 2021, when elite athletes’ entries open.

Elite Field Eligibility:
(1) Female athletes who meet the condition (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 set one of the records below as a JAAF-registered athlete at a certified competition inside or outside Japan on or after March 1, 2020
1) Marathon Under 2 h 50 min 00 sec
2) 30 km Under 1 h 55 min 00 sec
3) Half marathon Under 1 h 15 min 00 sec
4) 20 km or 20,000 m Under 1 h 11 min 00 sec
5) 10 km or 10,000 m Under 34 min 00 sec
(2) Athletes recommended by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations
(3) Foreign- or domestic-based athletes invited by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon organizers will make every effort to ensure the safe arrival of all participating athletes to the event; however, please be aware that there is a possibility that the Japanese government may impose entry restrictions on foreign-based athletes depending on the future infection status around the world.