Antwerp is gearing up for the anniversary edition of the Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles, taking place this Saturday and Sunday, 25 and 26 April. To celebrate its 40th anniversary in style, the event will run throughout the weekend attracting a total of 50,000 participants. Although everyone can visit the Garmin Running Hub from Tuesday onwards, bib numbers can be collected from Linkeroever from Wednesday.
By organising the anniversary edition over two days, more people will have the chance to take part. At the same time, the programme has been spread out to ensure greater comfort at the start and along the route (more and smaller start waves), and the flow of runners in and out on Sunday will be more gradual.
Last-minute entrants can still register for both the Persil Kids Mile and the Baloise Antwerp 5 Miles on.
On Sunday, the focus is entirely on the Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles, with a total of 40,000 runners spread across ten waves. The course has been slightly altered compared to the previous edition. Runners will be directed through the Kennedy Tunnel more quickly and will run on Rechteroever across Bolivar Square, through Zuidpark, past the KMSKA, across Marnix Square, through Kloosterstraat, across the Kaaien, past the MAS, and return via the Waasland Tunnel to Linkeroever for the finish on August Vermeylenlaan.
Atmosphere and entertainment take centre stage
In addition to 50,000 participants, around 100,000 supporters are expected to line the course. The organisers ask anyone wishing to come and cheer on the runners on Sunday to do so in the cheering zones on Rechteroever to avoid overcrowding by the Scheldt crossing. [See longer list of cheering zones below]
In total, the route will feature 25 entertainment points on Sunday, creating the famous atmosphere of the Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles. For example, two DJ duos from QMusic will once again be giving their all at Bolivarplaats and the MAS. And on both Saturday and Sunday, there will be a QMusic Afterparty on Charles de Costerlaan!
Warm-up from Tuesday
In collaboration with Garmin and Antwerp Running Crew, the festival weekend extends over a full festival week. From today, Tuesday 21 April, Cafe Recup on Hopland will host the Garmin Running Hub, with a different programme every day: on Tuesday a unique 1 Mile Race, followed by training runs with triathlete Marten Van Riel or ultra-runner Matthieu Bonne on the subsequent days. The day after the Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles, there will be the Medal Monday recovery run.
Bib numbers for Saturday and Sunday can be collected from Wednesday 22 April from the registration area on Frederik van Eedenplein. As always, we recommend collecting your bib number in advance so you can arrive at the start on Saturday or Sunday feeling relaxed and stress-free. There are also scratch cards in the participants’ envelopes, or you can get a 10 Miles tattoo. And in the days and weeks following the event, you can enjoy numerous benefits in the city on presentation of your medal.
“We actually want to be there for Antwerp’s runners all year round,” adds Greg Broekmans from organiser Golazo. “It all started with the Baloise Antwerp Park Miles earlier this year, which attracted 6,000 runners. Over the past few weeks, more than 500 Antwerp residents took part in a digital challenge, covering a total of 40,000 km. Most of the kilometres were clocked up by the Deurne district, ahead of Antwerp and Hoboken. From today, Café Recup is transformed into a running hub, and in the week following the event, your medal will also grant you a whole host of benefits. After that, we’ll already be looking forward to the Trek Antwerp Marathon on 18 October.”
“This anniversary edition proves that the people of Antwerp are born with running shoes on,” says Antwerp’s Mayor, Els van Doesburg, who will be running the Baloise Antwerp 5 Miles herself on Saturday and will also be firing the starting gun. “For 40 years now, the Antwerp 10 Miles has been Antwerp’s premier sporting festival. I look forward to welcoming all those runners – from the most experienced veterans to the very youngest in their first running shoes – to the sound of loud applause from thousands of supporters.”
Antwerp’s Alderman for Sport, Stijn De Rooster: “Whether you’re lining up at the start of the 10 Miles for the very first time or the 40th (!) time: it is and always will be a magical and powerful feeling to be swept up and propelled forward by that huge crowd of runners and supporters, and to take the city by storm together. I myself have been working towards and looking forward to this double highlight for long enough, so let the real work begin! Antwerp is ready to go all out and make this an unforgettable festive edition.”
Liesbeth Laureys, Director of Marketing & Development at Baloise: “We are proud to represent Baloise as the main sponsor at Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles, the Flemish running festival. We look forward to running or cheering along the revamped route together with many colleagues. As one of the largest insurers in Belgium, we want to work with the organisers to create a total experience for all fans and supporters, both on and next to the course. We are also delighted that in December we extended our partnership with Golazo for another six years. Here’s to a successful edition!”
Top runners
The Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles attracts a number of top runners every year, and this year is no exception. In the men’s race, last year’s second and third-placed runners will be back at the start: Amaury Paquet and Thomas De Bock. They will be joined by Dorian Boulvin, who, like De Bock, clocked a fast time at the Rotterdam Marathon earlier this month. The three Belgians will certainly have to watch out for Patrick Nimubona, last year’s winner of the 20 km through Brussels. Former winners Saké and Van Peborgh will also be competing. In the women’s race, Julie Voet, the reigning Belgian 10K Champion, and Charlotte Van Hese, who finished third last year, are the main contenders for victory. [See longer list of top runners below]
Famous faces
There will also be plenty of familiar faces from the worlds of politics, sport and the media at the start on Sunday. From Prime Minister De Wever to Greg Van Avermaet and Ward Lemmelijn, and Fien Germijns, Vincent Fierens, Sandra Bekkari, Mathieu Terryn, … and the duo Wim Gysen and Bruno Hollants, who are ready for their 40th participation. [See longer list of top runners below]
Mobility
The event website gives detailed and specific mobility information, including guidelines by day and by region. This ensures that participants and supporters can get to Antwerp as smoothly as possible on Saturday or Sunday, and that local residents also know how to get around the city.
TOP RUNNERS:
Men:
• Nicolaï Saké: Ex-winner
• Dorian Boulvin: Top 10 2025 European Marathon Championships
• Thomas De Bock: Top 10 2025 European Marathon Championships
• Lin Ndayifukamiye: 3rd 20km through Brussels 2025
• Patrick Nimubona: Winner 20 km through Brussels 2025
• Amaury Paquet: 2nd in 2025 and multiple winner 20 km through Brussels
• Nathan Sevenois: Team 2025 European Marathon Championships
• Siebe Van Dijck: 3rd in 2025 Antwerp Marathon
• Laurens Vanderlinden: Multiple top 10 finisher
• Thomas Vanoppen: 1500m athlete and CrossCup star
• Nick Van Peborgh: Multiple winner
Women:
• Jolien Denis: Gold at European Championships in the team event at the 2025 European Half Marathon
• Charlotte Van Hese: Flemish 2026 Cross-Country Champion
• Julie Voet: Belgian 2025 10K Champion
FAMOUS RUNNERS:
• Prime Minister Bart De Wever
• Antwerp’s Mayor Els van Doesburg (5 miles)
• Antwerp’s Alderman for Sport Stijn de Rooster
• Flemish Vice-Minister-President Hilde Crevits
• Flemish Minister of Mobility and Sport Annick De Ridder
• Minister of Consumer Protection Rob Beenders
• Greg Van Avermaet
• Marten Van Riel
• Ward Lemmelijn
• Filip Joos
• Geert Hoste
• Tine Embrechts and Laurent Bailleul (Guga Baul)
• Nele Somers
• Vincent Fierens
• Matthias Vandenbulcke
• Fien Germijns
• Joris Brys
• Bavo Mortier
• Nona Van Braeckel and friend Jasper ‘Omdat het Kan’ Donkers
• Ender Scholtens
• Julie Vermeire
• Mathieu Terryn
• Charlotte Sieben
• Sandra Bekkari
• Lotte van Leeuwen
• Wim Gysen (40th participation!)
• Bruno Hollants (40th participation!)
CHEERING ZONES:
Rechteroever:
• Thomas More Cheering Zone (Gentplaats)
• KMSKA Cheering Zone (Leopold de Waelplaats)
• TREK® Cheering Zone (Scheldestraat)
• Sporting A Cheering Zone (Kloosterstraat)
• AP Hogeschool Cheering Zone (Nassaustraat)
• Universiteit Antwerpen Cheering Zone (Oude Leeuwenrui)
PROGRAMME BALOISE ANTWERP 10 MILES 2026:
Tuesday 21 April:
• Opening Garmin Running Hub (Cafe Recup, Hopland)
Wednesday 22 April:
• Collect bib numbers: 12 to 6 p.m.
Thursday 23 April:
• Collect bib numbers: 12 to 6 p.m.
Friday 24 April:
• Collect bib numbers: 12 to 6 p.m.
Saturday 25 April:
• Collect bib numbers: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Persil Kids Mile: 1:30 tot 2:30 p.m.
• Baloise Antwerp 5 Miles
• Wave 1: 2:30 p.m.
• Wave 2: 2:50 p.m.
• Wave 3: 3:10 p.m.
• QMusic Afterparty: until 5 p.m.
Sunday 26 April:
• Collect bib numbers: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Baloise Antwerp 10 Miles
• Wave 1: 10:30 a.m.
• Wave 2: 10:50 a.m.
• Wave 3: 11:10 a.m.
• Wave 4: 11:30 a.m.
• Wave 5: 11:55 a.m.
• Wave 6: 12:20 p.m.
• Wave 7: 12:45 p.m.
• Wave 8: 1:10 p.m.
• Wave 9: 1:35 p.m.
• Wave 10: 2 p.m.
• QMusic Afterparty: until 6 p.m.
Monday 27 April:
• 5K Recup Run Garmin Running Hub: 7 p.m.