Organisers of the Santo Domingo Marathon have announced details for the event's ninth edition, which will take place in the Dominican capital on October 18.
Santo Domingo Corre president Modesto Reyes revealed that organisers project 5,000 participants from more than 45 countries, surpassing the 4,000 runners from 37 nationalities who competed in 2025.
The competition will maintain four race distance modalities to accommodate runners of varying experience levels. Participants can register for a 5K, a 10K, a 21-kilometre half marathon, or a 42-kilometre full marathon.
Organisers confirmed that registration for the 42-kilometre full marathon is already sold out, while entries remain open for the three shorter distances. Reflecting on the growth of the event, Reyes said that a person never reaches the finish line as the same person who started out.
The race presentation gathering brought together key figures from the Dominican sports and business sectors, including Samuel Núñez, Karla Martin, Modesto Reyes, Marlenny Peña, and Puro de la Cruz.
Course Route and Tourism Growth
The course runs along George Washington Avenue, facing the Caribbean Sea, and passes through parts of Santo Domingo's historic Colonial City. The waterfront avenue, known locally as the Malecón, offers runners coastal views alongside landmark architecture in the Dominican Republic's capital.
Race organisers emphasised that international runners generate hotel bookings, patronise local restaurants, and visit historical sites while accompanied by family members and companions. Reyes explained that when international runners choose to compete in Santo Domingo, they do not visit solely for a race, but also to experience the city's gastronomy, culture, and local attractions.
To expand the economic benefits of the event, Santo Domingo Corre has signed an agreement with the Dominican Association of Sports Tourism. The partnership aims to strengthen ties between major athletic events and the growing sports tourism sector in the Caribbean nation.
Industry representatives attending the launch event included Yerik Pérez, Roxana Rizek, María Sangiovanni, Carmen Ulloq, and Jeffrey Medina.
Security and Emergency Operations
A comprehensive security deployment will oversee participant protection and route management during the event. Between 350 and 400 security agents will be stationed across the course on race day.
The security operation includes specialised units from the Armed Forces, the National Police, the Municipal Police, the Tourist Police, known as Politur, and the Traffic Directorate, alongside additional public safety institutions. Politur operates as the Dominican Republic's dedicated security body for visitor districts and tourist corridors.
Organisers have introduced a communication protocol designed to accelerate runner identification and medical care during emergencies. As part of this measure, participants must provide an emergency contact phone number belonging to a family member or close contact during registration, rather than their own mobile number.
Ambulances will be stationed at strategic locations along the route, targeting areas where medical incidents occurred during previous editions of the race. The safety plan is managed by a specialised risk and emergency team led by Jeffrey Medina Rivas, director of Risk and Emergencies.
Medina Rivas explained that organisers have designed a specific care protocol to be shared with runners, setting out clear response procedures for potential race incidents. The medical deployment features doctors, paramedics, ambulances, and emergency volunteers from the Red Cross and Civil Defense.
Medina Rivas stated that the primary objective of the protocol is to ensure a fully coordinated response across every stage of the competition.
Charitable Partnership for Pediatric Cancer
The 2026 marathon will also incorporate a charitable initiative in partnership with the Friends Against Infantile Cancer Foundation, known as FACI. A portion of each runner's registration fee will directly fund the foundation's support programs for children battling cancer.
María San Giovanni, head of Marketing and Fundraising at FACI, outlined the impact of the foundation's work during the presentation event. San Giovanni stated that FACI registered 186 new pediatric cancer cases in 2025 and currently maintains active treatment for approximately 800 young patients.
San Giovanni noted that the foundation recorded an increase in the number of children achieving disease remission during 2026. Under the campaign slogan We Be Giants, FACI is promoting the message that childhood cancer can be overcome through unified support from families, medical professionals, corporate partners, volunteers, and the wider community.
Community leaders and supporters attending the announcement included Claudine Nova and Juan Guzmán Taveras.
Additional event guests in attendance included Isaury Almonte and Ashley Yunes.
