Athens Springs into Action in March at 6th Half Marathon

Photo © Vassilios Koutroumanos

Athens will spring to life on March 19 when thousands of amateur and professional runners test their mettle at the 6th Athens Half Marathon, co-organized annually by the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) and the City of Athens.

Organizers are already expecting the numbers this year to break all records with registrations set to reach some 21,000, Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis said during a press conference this week.

The mayor said the event was brought forward to spring in efforts to gain from the momentum and offer students on spring break the opportunity to participate in the annual sporting event.

Mayor Kaminis added that the Half Marathon of Athens is one of the municipality’s  targeted efforts to promote the Greek capital as an attractive tourist destination.

In this direction, “the municipality is pursuing to organize popular international events which will ensure Athens is interesting to a wider audience with different tastes and preferences, events like the Half Marathon, the contemporary art documenta14 exhibition from April to July, the Athens Marathon in November, and the Athens – World Book Capital events in 2018″, he added.

Organized for the first time in 2012, organizers aim to turn the Athens Half Marathon into a global, unique sport cultural and entertaining running event and attract visitors from Europe and the rest of the world to participate and also experience Greece’s cuisine, sun, sea and the history and life of Athens.

All races start and finish in the heart of Athens, at Syntagma Square, in front of the Greek Parliament, running different courses in the historic city centre and passing by the main attractions.

Runners can register online through to March 3. Those interested in volunteering for the sporting event can apply here.

The Athens Half Marathon is a full member of AIMS (International Association of Marathon Races and Distance Running) and held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization, branded through the trademark GREECE.

The Greek Travel Pages (GTP) is a media sponsor of the 6th Athens Half Marathon.