Team ULiège: A Pink Tidal Wave Sweeps Through Liège!

This Sunday, April 12, Liège saw life through rose-colored glasses... in a flash! No fewer than 1,785 runners from Team ULiège took to the city streets, shattering a record that had been thought unbeatable after the 1,544 participants in 2025. Together, they covered 22,657 kilometers—more than half a trip around the world!

Out of some 12,000 participants, Team ULiège once again emerged as the largest group in the race. And what a group! In this sea of pink, the entire university community came together: students, staff members, and alumni. And this year, once again, its diversity shines through: all 11 faculties were represented, with 55.7% of participants being women and no fewer than 43 different nationalities—compared to 33 in 2025 and 20 in 2024. A figure that has more than doubled in two years, reflecting the University’s increasingly international character.

The FSA's reign has come to an end... Medicine takes the lead! 

The inter-faculty challenge rewards the faculty with the highest participation rate relative to its student body (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students) and staff members. A major upset this year: the Faculty of Medicine has dethroned the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FSA), the challenge’s long-time winner, for the first time. It took the top spot with an 11.88% participation rate , edging out the FSA by less than one percentage point. A reign has come to an end! 

The Faculty of Sciences retains its third place(6.56%), but HEC is hot on its heels(6.39%).A competitor to watch for 2027! 

Team ULiège... unbeatable! 

Team ULiège once again shone on the podiums, notably with two impressive first-place finishes. Noémie Lepoutre, a master’s student in veterinary medicine, won the 15K, the event’s flagship distance. 

For his part, Jules Zalenski, a doctoral student in engineering and technology, won the 45-kilometer trail marathon, driven by a special motivation: to secure Team ULiège’s first victory at this distance, which had never been won before.

In the 15K race, Thomas Pierron, a history major, finished second in the men’s division, and Dorian Grandjean placed fourth.

In the 7K race, Elia Cappa, a bachelor’s student in physical therapy, took second place on the podium, closely followed by Véronique Fettweis, a technology educator with the MOOC-CARE unit, who finished fourth. On the men’s side, Ugo Palomo, also a bachelor’s student in physical therapy, and Henri Gérard, a master’s student in civil engineering, also distinguished themselves with second and fourth-place finishes.

But it is as a team that Team ULiège is simply unstoppable. It swept all six team awards, including the prize for the largest group and those for the fastest teams across all distances. It also won the prize for best costume thanks to a pair of butterflies. For the occasion, Rector Anne-Sophie Nyssen personally presented the trophy for the largest group to Team ULiège and congratulated its distinguished members on the various podiums.

But this past Sunday, April 12, Team ULiège also made a name for itself far beyond our borders! Congratulations to Lukas Hennau, Jacky Marschal, and Quentin Muselle for representing us at the Paris Marathon. 

Team ULiège by the numbers

• 993 women and 789 men
• 43 different nationalities
• 15 km: 911 runners
• 7 km: 656 runners
• 24 km Trail: 84 runners
• 42 km trail: 29 runners
• 8 km walk: 67 walkers
• 18 km walk/trail: 35 walkers
• 22,657 kilometers covered

15km

7km

 24km

45km

See the complete list of winners