Event History

The inaugural edition of the event was held in 1981 under the support of all sectors of the society, resulting in the 1st International Marathon of Macao that ran through Macao, Taipa and Coloane. The race received overwhelming response, with a total of more than 400 participants. In its early years, the Macao International Marathon counted on the supports from many government departments. From 1987, the organizational duties were taken over by the General Association of Athletics of Macau together with the Macau Sport Institute (now the Sports Bureau), which was established in the same year. In 1990, the race was recognized by the Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS), which officially approved the Macao track and pushed the race to a new level.

With decades of efforts and innovations made by various departments of the Macao SAR government and the General Association of Athletics of Macau, the event has gained increasing popularity and attracts athletes every year from local and neighboring regions, as well as overseas athletes including internationally acclaimed long-distance elite runners. By incorporating the elements of sports, tourism and culture, the event highlights Macao's image as a sports city and a world centre of tourism and leisure, which consequently promotes the development of sports tourism.

The Macao International Marathon is held on the first Sunday of December every year, and the 2023 Galaxy Entertainment Macao International Marathon will be held on 3 December this year, comprising three races: the Marathon (42.195 km), the Half Marathon (21.0975 km), and the Mini Marathon. In order to allow more long-distance runners to participate in this event, the quotas for the races have been increased to 12,000 in recent years. Along the route of the race courses, there are buildings distinctive of Macao's characteristics and sea-crossing bridges. The closed race courses provide safe racing conditions for participants and let them achieve the best performance.