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Global Spotlight on Greece as ‘Athens Marathon. The Authentic 2019’ Breaks All Records
Posted On 11 Nov 2019
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Tag: 37th “Athens Marathon. The Authentic”, Athens, Athens Authentic Marathon, Athens Marathon, athletes, Attica, c25893c, c299c, c35519c, c72815c, City of Athens, ERGO, George Patoulis, Greece, Greece news, Greece tourism, Greece tourism news, Greece travel news, Greek National Tourism Organization, Greek tourism, Greek Travel Pages (GTP), Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), Kallimarmaron Panathinaic Stadium, Kostas Panagopoulos, l232l, l234l, l74l, l75l, long distance running events, long distance running events Greece, Marathon, Marathon runners, Marathonas, Region of Attica, runners, running, running events Athens, running events in Greece, running Greece, running in Greece, running movement, SEGAS, sports, Sports tourism, sports tourism Greece, Spyros Capralos. act4Greece, tourism and travel
Photo: GTP
Despite the rainy forecast, over 60,000 runners from 120 countries showed up in Athens, on Sunday, to participate in the 37th “Athens Marathon. The Authentic”.
Leading the way, Kenya’s 42-year-old John Kipkorir Komen entered the Kallimarmaron Panathinaic Stadium first with a time of 2 hours 16 minutes 34 seconds.
John Kipkorir Komen. Photo: athensauthenticmarathon.gr / Eurokinissi
Nine seconds later, Rwanda’s Felicien Muhitira followed in second place clocking 2:16.43, with Greek athlete Costas Gkelaouzos finishing third in 2:19:02 and first in the national Marathon title.
Felicien Muhitira Photo: GTP
Gkelaouzos is the second Greek in the history of the sport to cross the finish line in the top three.
Costas Gkelaouzos Photo: athensauthenticmarathon.gr / Eurokinissi
Greece’s 27-year-old Eleftheria Petroulaki won the women’s category in 2 hours, 39 minutes and 49 seconds, finishing 35th overall.
Ekaterini Asimakopoulou came in second and Panagiota Tragaki third.
Eleftheria Petroulaki Photo: athensauthenticmarathon.gr / Eurokinissi
Record number of runners
This year, a record 20,041 runners tried their luck in the 42,195-meter Marathon race, which kicked off from the historic coastal town of Marathon early on Sunday morning.
In the meantime, thousands of amateur runners and children participated in the 5K and 10K road races on Saturday, the evening marathon race, the kiddies run and the Special Olympics race.
This year’s Athens Marathon was organized by the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), the Attica Region, the municipalities of Athens and Marathon, and the Hellenic Olympic Committee in tribute to Greek track and field champion and peace activist Grigoris Lambrakis.
John Kipkorir Komen. Photo: GTP
Considered one of the most important races in the world of sports, the Athens Marathon is based on the route run in 490 BC by Athenian messenger Pheidippides, who legend has it died of exhaustion after announcing to the Athenians that the Greeks had won the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. The first Marathon race was organized during the 1896 Olympics.
Photo: GTP
Greek authorities have in the past few years focused their efforts on promoting the major international sporting event with the support of the hospitality industry aiming to establish Greece and Attica as a leading sports tourism destination.
Besides being a communication sponsor of the 37th Athens Marathon – Τhe Authentic, Greek Travel Pages (GTP) also participated in the event with its own team of runners.
GTP ‘Athens Marathon’ Running Team
More Moments from the 37th “Athens Marathon. The Authentic” can be found in the following link:
