The adidas Manchester Marathon has announced that Britain’s most decorated and most successful Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, will be the official starter for the 2026 event. The event will take place on Sunday 19 April.
Dame Sarah will play a central role in one of the UK’s biggest and most anticipated sporting events. She will officially start the event as 42,000 participants gather on the start line in Manchester. She will also meet participants at the finish and present medals as thousands complete the 26.2-mile course.
As one of Britain’s most celebrated athletes, Dame Sarah has won 19 Paralympic gold medals, and 30 Paralympic medals in total. She has also won 45 world titles across an extraordinary career spanning more than three decades in Paralympic swimming and cycling.
Joining her on the start line will be Departure Captain Zoe Lister, the voice behind the viral Jet2 Holidays advert. She will help welcome people to what is set to be the busiest start line yet. This event will bring a record number of participants and supporters to Greater Manchester. It will be a day that has become one of the region’s standout sporting occasions.
Dame Sarah Storey said: “To be asked to officially start the adidas Manchester Marathon is a real honour. There’s something incredibly special about the start of a marathon, the atmosphere, the anticipation and the emotion of thousands of people coming together, each with their own reason for being there. To be part of that moment, and then to welcome participants back at the finish line, is something I’m really looking forward to.”
Aimée-Louise Eriksen, event director of adidas Manchester Marathon, said: “As one of Britain’s most accomplished athletes, and having someone of Dame Sarah Storey’s stature open the event will make an already unforgettable moment even more special for our participants.
“The start line is one of the most powerful moments of the day. It’s where months of training, nerves, excitement and anticipation come together. Dame Sarah understands what it means to prepare, perform and push yourself, so she is the perfect person to send our participants on their way.”
Renowned for its fast, flat route and inclusive atmosphere, the event reached full capacity in record time. Demand is higher than ever and 42,000 are set to take part.
As participants cross the finish line in Manchester city centre, Dame Sarah will be there to help celebrate their achievement. She will meet finishers and present medals at the close of an unforgettable day.
For full details, route maps and event updates, visit: www.manchestermarathon.co.uk
