Marathon will split from World Athletics Championships after 2029

​World Athletics plans to launch a standalone World Marathon Championship from 2030 under a major ‌overhaul of its distance running calendar, the sport's governing body said Tuesday.

The ​marathon will remain part ​of the World Athletics Championships in 2027 and 2029, but from ​2030 it will have its ⁠own championship ⁠event.

From 2031, ‌the marathon will not be contested at the athletics worlds.

The new World Marathon Championship will ⁠be held annually, with men and women competing in alternate years, matching ‌the current frequency of the world championships marathon.

World Athletics has opened talks with Athens to host ​the inaugural marathon event.

"We are delighted to ⁠be exploring the possibility of a ⁠standalone World Marathon Championships with ⁠Athens, ⁠the place ​where this iconic discipline was born,” World ​Athletics president ⁠Sebastian Coe said.

The annual World Athletics Road Running Championships will continue as a separate event under the new road map.