05/06/2026
The impact of this could completely reshape the Latin American marathon scene as 70,000 runners take to the streets this weekend.
The Rio Marathon announced a historic prize purse for this 2026 edition: both the men’s and women’s champions will take home $60,000 USD each, regardless of their finishing time. At current exchange rates, that scales to over R$ 295,000.
With this move, the event easily becomes the highest-paying marathon in Latin America.
This massive upgrade comes right on the heels of achieving the World Athletics Elite Label, a milestone that elevates the race to a whole new level on the international calendar.
In addition to the top prize, payouts will extend down to 8th place:
1st — $60,000 USD
2nd — $25,000 USD
3rd — $15,000 USD
4th — $6,000 USD
5th — $5,000 USD
6th — $4,000 USD
7th — $3,000 USD
8th — $2,000 USD
⚠️ Note: These amounts apply exclusively to the full marathon and are equal for both the men’s and women’s divisions.
All eyes are now on how this will impact the competitive depth of the field this Sunday, especially for Brazilian athletes. This offers them an unprecedented opportunity to compete for a world-class purse right on home soil.
If this momentum keeps up, Brazil could secure an even bigger footprint on the global marathon stage.
The big question now is whether this prize money officially puts the Rio Marathon in a league of its own. 👀
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