43,000 runners, a record participation, joined the 33rd Athens Marathon – The Authentic on this sunny November morning. Greek Christoforos Merousis won the 42-kilometer race from the ancient battlefield of Marathon to Athens Panathinaic Stadium with an impressive time of two hours, 21 minutes and 22 seconds.
Winner Christoforos Merousis
The women’s race was won by Japanese Minori Hayakari in 2:52.06.
Two more Greeks won the men’s race with Dimitris Theodorakakos second in 2:27.03 and Dimosthenis Evangelidis third with just 25 seconds later.
Hit by the economic crisis and the slashed budget for Greece’s sports events, organizer SEGAS could not afford to invite any elite athletes as in previous years.
However, the event drew over 43,000 runners from all over over the world and ages. Some 16,000 runners followed the footsteps of the legendary soldier Pheidippides on the demanding 42 km course, while the rest of participants run for the the shorter distance 10 km and 5 km courses, while the kids were able to run for the kids’ race and thus for the first time in the Athens Marathon’s history.
The races did not end well for all runners though with 19 of them having to be hospitalized due to injuries or heart problems. 5 runners are currently still in the heart unit of Evangelismos Hospital, with one of them being reportedly in critical condition.
Marathon race here and economic crisis there, Greece would not have been Greece if there was no political protest. Members of the PAME, union affiliated with the Greek Communist Party raised banners outside the Panathenaic Stadium against the EU and NATO on the issue of migration.
Organizers collected runners’ thermic blankets for the refugees.
Medicins Sans Frontieres action in Panathinaic Stadium: Provide safe passage for refugees.