107th 4Days Marches successfully closes with new record

Accompanied by loud applause from tens of thousands of spectators, the 107th edition of the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen festively concluded today. Almost 43,000 walkers reached the iconic Via Gladiola on their way to the finish after four days of walking. After this festive entry, they received their well-deserved reward.

As every year, the 4Days Marches brought a unique mix of sporting challenge, international encounter and celebration. As many as 82 nationalities were represented this year. The youngest participant was 11 years old, the oldest no less than 94. Along the course, hundreds of thousands of spectators provided a continuous stream of encouragement and enthusiasm.

Edition with a golden touch
With 45,539 participants at the start, this year's 4Days Marches will again go down in the books as the largest multi-day walking event in the world. March leader Henny Sackers speaks of a fantastic edition with a golden touch: "It was a pleasure to see so many happy and proud walkers walking the Via Gladiola. The atmosphere was great, and I'm incredibly grateful to all the volunteers and cooperating partners. Particularly special is that this year we started and finished in Nijmegen for the 100th time."

Few dropped out due to better preparation and favourable walking weather
Notable this year was the low number of dropouts. With a total of 2,762 dropouts, 93.9% managed to cross the finish line (2.5% more than in 2024). According to experts involved in the organisation, this is probably due to a combination of factors: participants prepare more and more seriously, train in a focused way and increasingly take the event as seriously as a marathon. Also, the possibility of passing on tickets ensures that especially motivated and fit participants appear at the start. Although Wednesday was a wet day, weather conditions on the other days were good.

The next edition of the 4Days Marches will take place from 21 to 24 July 2026