Stars of stage and screen joined over 20,000 runners in East London for the 2024 Wizz Air Hackney Half marathon.
The event, which had 25,000 sign ups, continued to cement its place as London’s biggest and most popular half marathon. Among the runners was Bridgerton and Wicked star Jonathan Bailey who ran on behalf of Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, where he is Patron.
Other high profile names taking part this year included running sensation Anya Culling, off the back of another impressive London Marathon performance, as well as TV physician Dr Alex George. Former England rugby player James Haskell continued his rise to stardom in the DJ-world with a set at Hackney Moves, while local musician Paigey Cakey also performed at the event.
The Wizz Air Hackney Half was the headline event at the Hackney Moves festival which took place on the iconic Hackney Marshes, with three stages hosting exercise groups and live entertainment, with over 50,000 expected to have visited the festival village across the Saturday and Sunday.
The famous Hackney Half 13.1 mile route set off from Hackney Marshes making its way to the famous Hackney Empire before reaching the Stonebridge Gardens. Crossing the halfway point the runners passed the Regents Canal, making their way to Victoria Park before the final stretch through the iconic Hackney Wick.
Yvie Lock (Thames Valley Harriers) was the women’s winner while the first two males to cross the line, Fredrick Hessian and Jonathan Escalante-Phillips did so hand in hand.
First Three Finishers – Female
1st – Yvie Lock, 1:15:25
2nd – Holly Archer, 1:16:15
3rd – Anna Farello, 1:18:14
Top Three Finishers – Male
=1st – Fredrick Hessian, 1:08:05
=1st – Jonathan Escalante-Phillips, 1:08:05
3rd – Alex Gladley, 1:11:26
Yvie Lock, 26, the fastest female, said: “It feels really good to win. I can tell you, it didn’t feel like it on the course. I got to about 15k and I was struggling. I just thought one foot in front of the other until the end, it was so hot, but the crowd really brought you through.
“The atmosphere is unbelievable. I think sometimes you go to running events and it’s all so serious. Hackney is just a really good laugh, everyone is in a great mood, everyone’s excited about the day, it’s amazing.”
So far, participants for this year’s half marathon have raised more than £2 million for charities, including headline partner Alzheimer’s Society and several local good causes like The Felix Project, Barts Charity, Hackney Night Shelter, and St Joseph’s Hospice Hackney.
Hackney Moves hosted the free-to-enter Community 5k as well as the local Schools’ Challenge which saw children from across East London complete the final mile of the challenge, which had seen pupils walking or running to and from school, to clock-up their own half marathon. The Main Stage, House of Fitness and House of Ministry hosted a range of activities, including live DJ sets, meditation sessions, immersive experiences and fitness classes, which culminated in a post half-marathon celebration for runners and spectators to celebrate together.
Ian Allerton, Director of Operations for Hackney Moves said: “For the second year in a row we’ve proudly seen 25,000 people sign up for the iconic Wizz Air Hackney Half. This year places sold out in record time, but as the half marathon grows, we see the Hackney Moves festival in its entirety grow and truly become an exciting and vibrant celebration of East London.
“We are extremely proud of another brilliant weekend, and to see the Hackney Half re-affirmed as one of the UK’s favourite races.”
Event organisers, Motiv Sports will host a further two events in the capital this year: the Saucony London 10k on 14 July and London Duathlon on 8 September, also hosting the Blenheim Palace Triathlon from 1-2 June and finishing off the year with the Oxford Half on 13 October.
To sign up to be amongst the first to hear when tickets for the 2025 Wizz Air Hackney Half Marathon go on sale, visit www.hackneymoves.com