More than 12,000 runners from around the world lined up for the Athens Classic Marathon on October 31, to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary of the marathon.
The event kicked off early in the city of Marathon, with the lighting of the torch. Several runners carried the flame in a 5k relay, including 1984 Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson and 2008 Olympics gold medalist Constantina Dita, who lit the alter at the starting line, which was located close to site of the original Greek battle of Marathon.
Conditions were slightly less than ideal, with bright sun and temperatures in the 60s throughout the race.
Rasa Drazdauskaite, 29, of Lithuania won the women's division in 2:31:06, a course record by more than two minutes. Olga Glok of Russia was second in 2:33:51, and Svitlana Stanko of Ukraine was third in 2:38:59.
Kenyans swept the men's division of the race. Raymond Bett won the event in 2:12:40. It's his first marathon victory. Jonathan Kipkorir was second in 2:14:05, and Edwin Kimutai was third in 2:15:21.
The Marathon to Athens course is notoriously difficult and full of hills. The event finishes at the same place as the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the Panathenaic Stadium.
Comments
I think I was at the first one.
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