Larnaca is both ready and set to host its annual marathon on Sunday, with more than 13,000 runners from 85 countries expected to pound the town’s streets across the event’s various distances.
Around 1,000 people are expected to run the full 26.2 miles, while a half marathon, a 10-kilometre run, two five-kilometre runs, four one-kilometre runs for children of various ages, and a one-kilometre run for adults are also expected to take place.
Ahead of the event, the Marathon Flame, used in the Athens Classic Marathon, arrived in Larnaca on Friday evening.
The Athens Classic Marathon is inspired by the ancient Greek legend of the messenger Pheidippides’ run from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks’ victory over the Persians in 490 BC, and follows a course from the town of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.
The flame was welcomed to Cyprus by Larnaca deputy mayor Iasonas Iasonides, who thanked the Hellenic Athletics Federation, and the town of Marathon’s deputy mayor for sport, Anastasios Chrysinas, for sending the flame to the island.
“This is a sign of honour, friendship, cooperation, and love for us, since Larnaca is celebrating again,” he said.
Chrysinas, meanwhile, said he “conveyed the warm wishes” of Marathon mayor Stergios Tsirkas, and wished “a good race” to those participating.
Last year’s men’s Larnaca marathon was won by 42-year-old British runner Dasos Gonnella, who completed the course in a time of two hours, 39 minutes, and nine seconds, while 37-year-old Slovenian Emil Zohorovic finished in second place.
The women’s race, too, was won by a British runner, with 31-year-old Rebecca Clarke completing the course in a time of three hours, two minutes, and eight seconds, while Dissing Messell Gitte, aged 50, from Botswana, finished in second place, finishing in a time of three hours, six minutes, and 17 seconds.
A Cypriot runner, Stavri Thrasyvoulou, made it onto the podium in the women’s race. The 34-year-old from Limassol finished in a time of three hours, 10 minutes, and five seconds.
The oldest runner to complete the course was Finland’s Gote Granholm, born in 1954. He ran a time of four hours, 17 minutes, and 20 seconds.
