Pictured Above: Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat participates in the 2012 Jerusalem Marathon. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS) President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital may have led to a rise in foreign registration for the Jerusalem Marathon, officials said.

Some 100 non-Israeli runners have signed up since Trump’s Dec. 6 declaration, representing some 12 percent of the overall registration from abroad. Moreover, according to Jerusalem Municipality officials, registration from outside Israel is 30 percent higher than in the equivalent period last year.

The marathon will take place on March 9, 2018. Some 900 runners from 47 countries have registered for the marathon so far, and officials expect the final number of competitors to reach 3,500.

Officials said the number of African participants has increased by about 50 percent compared to the same period in 2017. The U.S. has led the pack so far, with 123 registered participants, followed by Germany, Poland and China.

The upcoming marathon will comprise six different races, with the overarching theme being the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification during the 1967 Six-Day War.

“The marathon generates millions of shekels for the city’s hotels, businesses and its entertainment industry, and is a boon to the livelihood of Jerusalemites,” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said this week. 

The marathon is expected to generate some 10 million shekels ($2.8 million) in revenue.

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