The staging of the 1st World Military Half Marathon Championships boasts a strong lineup, including the reigning Marathon European Champion from Poland, Aleksandra Lisowska, German marathon runner and Olympic participant, Hendrik Pfeiffer, and other strong countries with high chances of winning, such as Bahrain, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
The opening ceremony was attended by Lucerne City Councillor Franziska Bitzi Staub, Chief of the Swiss Delegation to CISM, Colonel Christian Hess, official CISM representative Lieutenant-Colonel Jure Velepec and Brigadier General Niels Blatter. The City Councillor warmly welcomed the participants, thanked the Swiss CISM Delegation for choosing Lucerne as the venue for the World Championships and wished the athletes a successful competition and great sporting moments. Brigadier General Niels Blatter, the Commander of the Engineer/Rescue/NBC Training Unit and head of the competence center for sports and the Swiss CISM delegation in the Swiss Armed Forces, officially declared the 1st World Military Half Marathon Championships open. He encouraged all participants to uphold the spirit of "friendship through sport," fostering new connections across nations and embodying fairness and sportsmanship throughout this extraordinary event.
Another highlight at the opening ceremony were the school children carrying the nation plaques and marching in with their respective nations.