Founded in 2016 by Hassan Mussa Ibrahim and Hassan Suleiman Ali, the Zanzibar International Marathon (ZIM) was established to promote Zanzibar globally, nurture talented athletes, attract tourists, and contribute to economic growth.

In 2021, with technical and moral support from the Office of the President of Zanzibar, ZIM successfully hosted its first official edition. The collaboration continued in 2022 through the Vice President’s Office and designated ministries, strengthening institutional backing and credibility.

ZIM offers a world-class experience for both professional and fun runners, positioning itself among Africa’s most prestigious races. It is the largest marathon ever held in the Spice Islands in terms of participation, public awareness, and production scale.

Beyond athletics, ZIM uniquely integrates sport, tourism, expos, and conferences - creating a platform that connects stakeholders and supports Zanzibar’s blue economy while showcasing the nation’s rich heritage and beauty.

ZIM 2022 climax is set to take place on the 30th, July this 2023. Participants from all over the globe are expected to attend.

Both 2021 and 2022 saw high profile representation from the Government of Zanzibar. The President and the First Vice President of the Revolutionary government of Zanzibar in the respective years took an active role in encouraging general participation. Many runners from Tanzania Mainland as well as fun runners from Europe, America and professional runners from our East African Neighbors Kenya and Rwanda participated. Zanzibar participants did not shy away from both the first and second editions of ZIM as they were equally competitive with a mission to win the race.

ZIM 2023 is designed to be more than just a Marathon thus there are a number of activities as we build up to the climax of ZIM 2023. We have also created an online campaign that individuals will post their record time as they head toward that main events and our team will track those with impressive performances pre-event and work with the ministry to promote such talents.