PRESS RELEASE: ATHENS MARATHON. THE AUTHENTIC
“The Athens Marathon. The Authentic” asserted its status as a unique race despite the problems by financial crisis in Greece. A record number of 16,000 runners went to the start line of this classic race at the very source of the event’s inspiration, the coastal town of Marathon from where the marathon was launched in the inaugural Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896. That marked a rise of almost 25% from a year ago, while SEGAS, the Greek Athletics Federation, recorded a total of 43,000 entries for this and the shorter distance events, held the same day.
For the first time since 2000 the Athens Marathon had a Greek men’s winner, which was largely due to the fact that the organisers had not included an elite international field for the 33rd edition of the race. Christoforos Merousis went into the lead within the first few kilometres from the start in the town of Marathon. Temperatures were warm, reaching over 20 degrees Celsius as Merousis ran to victory in the old Olympic Stadium in Athens, stopping the finish line clock at 2:21:22. The next two men across the line were also from the host nation: Dimitros Theodorakakos finished second in 2:27:03 and Dimosthenis Evangelidis was third in 2:27:28.
The fastest woman on the classic, demanding course was the Japanese Minori Hayakari with 2:52:06. Last year she made her
Taking under consideration the urgent situation caused due to the current LUFTHANSA strike and the changes – cancellations of international flights that affect the journey of runners travelling to Greece from abroad in order to participate in the 2015 Athens Marathon Race, SEGAS and the Organizing Committee of the event, with sensitivity and understanding for all cases, have decided to offer additional services to those registered runners. The Registration Department of the event has already sent communication via email to runners from abroad who have not yet collected their bib number and race kit, in order to identify – exceptionally – the collection of their bib number beyond the operational hours of the ERGO Marathon EXPO.
This procedure is set beyond any regulation and policy of the event, in order to assist in the best possible way those who have proved their support and love to this race.
Registrations for the “Athens Marathon. The Authentic 2015”, are closing within the next hours (today, Sunday 25 October). About 43,000 runners will participate in all road races of this year’s event (Marathon Race, 10km Road Race, Morning and Afternoon 5km Road Races, Kids’ Run), breaking any previous participation record.
The final starting lists of all races will be announced within the next days, while a bib number notification email, stating the exact bib number of each runner, as well as information on how and when you should collect your bib number and race kit from the ERGO MARATHON EXPO, will be sent to all registered runners. It should be noted that such emails will be sent partially within a six days period.
In case you wish to participate in one of the Athens Marathon races, but you have not proceeded with your registration yet, you may contact the Marathon Office at SEGAS so that you investigate such possibility.
SEGAS and the “Athens Marathon. The Authentic” Organizing Committee would like to thank all registered runners, companies, clubs and authorities that strongly support the event for one more year.
Eliud Kipchoge, Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, Gladys Cherono and Mare Dibaba are the candidates for the 2015 AIMS Best Marathon Runner Awards
Athens, the birthplace of the Marathon, will be the focus of attention for the international running scene for three days from November 6 to 8. Firstly the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) will honour the best marathon runners of the year with the 2015 AIMS Best Marathon Runner (BMR) Awards, at an international Gala to be held in the evening of Friday, November 6. The next day will be marked by the Opening Ceremony for the “Athens Marathon. The Authentic”. This is followed by the high point of the Athens Marathon itself, on Sunday, where the organisers expect more than 16,000 runners to participate.
This is the 3rd edition of the AIMS BMR Gala in Athens to honour the best runners of the year. The candidates were recently announced by AIMS and are the Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge and Gladys Cherono, the Ethiopian Mare Dibaba and Ghirmay Ghebreslassie from Eritrea. The winners in the male and female categories will be determined by a voting process currently taking place amongst more than 380 member races of AIMS. Winners will be announced during the BMR Gala.
The period under consideration for the 2015 AIMS Best Marathon Runner Award is from the beginning of October 2014 to the end of
The Athens Marathon will continue to go ahead as planned on 8 November although an elite field won't be invited due to costs
The “Athens Marathon. The Authentic” will still go ahead this autumn albeit in a slightly different form to normal on 8 November.
In the light of the economic challenges facing the country and its people, the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) has decided to forego inviting an elite field in the marathon in order to concentrate on a race for mass runners, including the 5km and 10 km road races which complete the day’s programme.
Parts of the money saved will be used to further improve services and entertainment for the mass runners.
A record number of 16,000-plus runners are expected to take to the classic course from the town of Marathon to the 1896 Olympic Stadium in the heart of Athens which was the route used for the 1997 World Championships and 2004 Olympic Games.
In total 43,000 runners are expected to take part in all the running events on offer.
With this gesture, the organisers invite runners from around the world to run the Athens Marathon in solidarity with the Greek people at this testing time. Online entry for the marathon race is still available on the website at www.athensauthenticmarathon.gr.
The ninth edition of the AIMS Marathon Symposium will also take place on the same weekend with the main theme being: “Doping
