Athens Classic Marathon

Last updated
Athens Classic Marathon
Panathinaiko.jpg
Panathinaiko Stadium is the finishing point of the race
DateEarly November
Location Athens, Greece
Event type Road
Distance Marathon
Primary sponsor OPAP
Established1972(52 years ago) (1972)
Course recordsMen: 2:10:34 (2023)
Flag of Kenya.svg Edwin Kiptoo
Women: 2:31:06 (2010)
Flag of Lithuania.svg Rasa Drazdauskaitė
Official site Athens Classic Marathon
Participants17,041 finishers (2024) [1]

The Athens Classic Marathon is an annual marathon road race held in Athens, Greece, normally in early November (the second Sunday of November), since 1972. It also often serves as Greece's national marathon championships. The race attracted 43,000 competitors in 2015 of which 16,000 were for the 42.195 kilometre (26.2 mile) course, both numbers being an all-time record for the event. [2] The rest of the runners competed in the concurrent 5 and 10 kilometres road races and the racewalking contest.

Contents

The marathon race and course is inspired by the Ancient Athenian army run from Marathon to Athens after the Battle of Marathon. [3]

Taking from the tradition of the Olympic Torch, the race features the Marathon Flame, which is lit at the Tomb of the Battle of Marathon [4] and carried to the stadium in Marathon before the beginning of each race. [5] In addition, an international marathon symposium is held the day before the race. [5]

Greek competitors have traditionally been strong in the men's and women's competitions. However, East Africans and Japanese runners have increasingly become the dominant runners from 1999 onwards. [6] The current course records are 2:10:34 hours for men, set by Edwin Kiptoo in 2023, while Rasa Drazdauskaitė's run of 2:31:06 in 2010 is the quickest by a woman on the course. [7]

History

The provenance of the competitive race is traced back to the Marathon race at the 1896 Olympics. [8]

A separate race from the town of Marathon to Athens was regularly held in April from 1955 to at least 1989. This unrelated race, known as the Athens Marathon, frequently served as the Greek championship race but it is now discontinued. [9]

The Athens Classic Marathon began in 1972 as a joint venture between the Greek tourist board and athletics association. [10]

In 1982, the organisers dedicated the race to Grigoris Lambrakis, an athlete and Member of the Greek Parliament, whose murder in the 1960s has become an inspirational cause for advocates of human rights. [3]

The race came under the auspices of the current organisers and SEGAS in 1983 and has since become a major race, being awarded Gold Label Road Race status by the IAAF. [11] [12] The 1983 event was known as the Athens Peace Marathon and both a popular and elite level race featured for the first time that year. [9]

Since 1990, the Athens Classic Marathon has often served as the Greek national championships for the marathon event. [11] [13]

Since 2007 the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races has organised an annual International Marathon Symposium in Marathon town the day prior to the race. [5]

The 2010 edition of the event was combined with the celebration of the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon. [7] As the 2500 anniversary was actually in 2011, this year was also celebrated as the anniversary run.

In 2016, a refugee team competed in the concurrent 5 kilometre road race. [14]

The 2020 in-person edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of transferring their entry to 2021 or obtaining a full refund. [15] [16]

Course

The marathon course is based on the legend from which the race gained its name: Pheidippides, a messenger in Ancient Greece, ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greeks' victory over the Persians. [3]

It is perhaps the most difficult major marathon race: the course is uphill from the 10 km mark to the 31 km mark – the toughest uphill climb of any major marathon. [17] The course begins in the town of Marathon, where it passes the tomb of the Athenian soldiers, and it traces a path near the coast through Nea Makri. Following the steep rise, the course goes lightly downhill towards the city of Athens. [18] It passes a statue of a runner (Ο Δρομέας) in the city centre before finishing up at the Panathinaiko Stadium; [19] a site for athletics competitions in ancient times and the finishing point for both the 1896 and 2004 Olympic marathons. [18]

Past winners

A statue of Pheidippides on the route from Marathon to Athens Statue of Pheidippides along the Marathon Road.jpg
A statue of Pheidippides on the route from Marathon to Athens
Burton Holmes' photograph entitled "1896: Three athletes in training for the marathon at the Olympic Games in Athens". The 1896 Olympic Marathon was the precursor to the Athens Classic Marathon. 1896 Olympic marathon.jpg
Burton Holmes' photograph entitled "1896: Three athletes in training for the marathon at the Olympic Games in Athens". The 1896 Olympic Marathon was the precursor to the Athens Classic Marathon.
Runners competing in the 1980 Athens Marathon, won by Jean-Paul Didim Athens Marathon 1980-01.jpg
Runners competing in the 1980 Athens Marathon, won by Jean-Paul Didim

Key:  Course record  Greek championship race

YearMen's winnerTime
(h:m:s)		Women's winnerTime
(h:m:s)
2024Flag of Greece.svg  Charalampos Pitsolis  (GRE)2:18:56Flag of Greece.svg  Stamatia Noula  (GRE)2:40:20
2023Flag of Kenya.svg  Edwin Kiptoo  (KEN)2:10:34Flag of Morocco.svg  Soukaina Atanane  (MAR)2:31:52
2022Flag of Greece.svg  Charalampos Pitsolis  (GRE)2:23:44Flag of Greece.svg  Vasiliki Konstantinopoulou  (GRE)2:46:01
2021Flag of Greece.svg  Konstantinos Gkelaouzos  (GRE)2:16:49Flag of Greece.svg  Gloria Privileggio  (GRE)2:41:30
2020cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic [15]
2019Flag of Kenya.svg  John Komen  (KEN)2:16:34Flag of Greece.svg  Eleftheria Petroulaki  (GRE)2:45:50
2018Flag of Kenya.svg  Brimin Kipkorir  (KEN)2:10:56Flag of Kenya.svg  Shelmith Nyawira  (KEN)2:36:46
2017Flag of Kenya.svg  Samuel Kalalei  (KEN)2:12:17Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Bedatu Hirpa  (ETH)2:34:18
2016Flag of Kenya.svg  Luka Rotich  (KEN)2:12:49Flag of Kenya.svg  Nancy Arusei  (KEN)2:38:13
2015Flag of Greece.svg  Christoforos Merousis  (GRE)2:21:22Flag of Japan.svg  Minori Hayakari  (JPN)2:52:06
2014Flag of Kenya.svg  Felix Kandie  (KEN)2:10:37Flag of Kenya.svg  Naomi Maiyo  (KEN)2:41:06
2013Flag of Kenya.svg  Hillary Yego  (KEN)2:13:51Flag of Kenya.svg  Nancy Rotich  (KEN)2:41:32
2012Flag of Kenya.svg  Raymond Bett  (KEN)2:11:35Flag of Kenya.svg  Consalater Yadaa  (KEN)2:40:00
2011Flag of Morocco.svg  Abdelkrim Boubker  (MAR)2:11:40Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Elfeneshe Melkamu  (ETH)2:35:25
2010Flag of Kenya.svg  Raymond Bett  (KEN)2:12:40Flag of Lithuania.svg  Rasa Drazdauskaitė  (LTU)2:31:06
2009Flag of Kenya.svg  Josephat Ngetich  (KEN)2:13:44Flag of Japan.svg  Akemi Ozaki  (JPN)2:39:56
2008Flag of Kenya.svg  Paul Lekuraa  (KEN)2:12:42Flag of Japan.svg  Mai Tagami  (JPN)2:36:58
2007Flag of Kenya.svg  Benjamin Korir  (KEN)2:14:40Flag of Russia.svg  Svetlana Ponomarenko  (RUS)2:33:19
2006Flag of Kenya.svg  Henry Tarus  (KEN)2:17:46Flag of Japan.svg  Chikako Ogushi  (JPN)2:40:45
2005Flag of Kenya.svg  James Saina  (KEN)2:16:15Flag of Ethiopia (1996-2009).svg  Sisay Measo  (ETH)2:38:39
2004Flag of Kenya.svg  Frederick Cherono  (KEN)2:15:28Flag of Ethiopia (1996-2009).svg  Alemu Zinash  (ETH)2:41:11
2003Flag of Tanzania.svg  Zebedayo Bayo  (TAN)2:16:59Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Nadezhda Wijenberg  (NED)2:43:18
2002Flag of Kenya.svg  Mark Saina  (KEN)2:18:20Flag of Germany.svg  Sonja Oberem  (GER)2:37:29
2001Flag of Kenya.svg  Noah Bor  (KEN)2:19:26Flag of Germany.svg  Sonja Oberem  (GER)2:36:15
2000Flag of Greece.svg  Nikólaos Poliás  (GRE)2:20:50Flag of Greece.svg  Yeoryía Abatzídou  (GRE)2:53:00
1999Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Masato Yonehara  (JPN)2:18:35Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Tamaki Okuno  (JPN)2:46:46
1998Flag of Greece.svg  Nikólaos Poliás  (GRE)2:18:38Flag of the United States.svg  Joy Smith  (USA)2:50:52
1997Flag of Greece.svg  Gerasimos Kokotos  (GRE)2:31:47Flag of the United States.svg  Melissa Hurta  (USA)2:54:43
1996Flag of Greece.svg  Nikitas Markakis  (GRE)2:33:15Flag of Greece.svg  Panagiota Petropoulou  (GRE)2:56:42
1995Flag of Greece.svg  Nikólaos Poliás  (GRE)2:27:27Flag of Greece.svg  Panagiota Nikolakopoulou  (GRE)2:59:45
1994Flag of Greece.svg  Christos Dumas  (GRE)2:27:27Flag of Greece.svg  Kleri Stavropoulou  (GRE)3:21:32
1993Flag of Greece.svg  Nikólaos Poliás  (GRE)2:28:12Flag of Greece.svg  Panagiota Petropoulou  (GRE)3:15:56
1992Flag of Greece.svg  Christos Dumas  (GRE)2:31:15Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Reiko Hirosawa  (JPN)3:05:24
1991Flag of Greece.svg  Theodoros Fotopoulos  (GRE)2:28:18Flag of Greece.svg  Sofia Sotiriadou  (GRE)2:59:29
1990Flag of Sweden.svg  Johan Engholm  (SWE)2:26:33Flag of New Zealand.svg  Prudence Taylor  (NZL)2:59:15
1989Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Jan van Rijthoven  (NED)2:23:19Flag of the United States.svg  Leslie Lewis  (USA)2:37:42
1988Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Fedor Ryzhov  (URS)2:17:33Flag of Greece.svg  Magdalini Poulimenou  (GRE)2:50:59
1987Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  Kevin Flanegan  (RSA)2:25:14Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Irina Bogacheva  (URS)2:43:37
1986Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Jos vander Water  (BEL)2:27:22Flag of Norway.svg  Signe Ward  (NOR)3:06:58
1985Flag of Sweden.svg  Michael Hill  (SWE)2:26:20Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Eryl Davies  (GBR)3:04:30
1984Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  Leon Swanepoel  (RSA)2:28:53Flag of the United States.svg  Barbara Balzer  (USA)2:58:30
1983Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Martin J. McCarthy  (GBR)2:25:34Flag of Denmark.svg  Hanne Jensen  (DEN)3:20:33
1982Flag of the United States.svg  Rick Callison  (USA)2:27:29Flag of Denmark.svg  Ella Grimm  (DEN)3:07:41
1981Flag of Greece.svg  Yiannis Kouros  (GRE)2:32:50Flag of Denmark.svg  Britta Sorensen  (DEN)3:16:00
1980Flag of France.svg  Jean-Paul Didim  (FRA)2:34:32Flag of the United States.svg  Arlene Volmer  (USA)3:17:07
1979Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Richard Belk  (GBR)2:31:21Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Gaby Birrer  (SUI)3:34:21
1978Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Danny Flynn  (AUS)2:27:22Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Alexandra Fili  (GRE)4:47:00
1977Flag of Ethiopia (1975-1987).svg  Kebede Balcha  (ETH)2:14:40.8Flag of Sweden.svg  Christina Johansson  (SWE)3:05:53
1976Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Edgar Friedli  (SUI)2:33:50Flag of the United States.svg  Melissa Hendriksen  (USA)3:35:45
1975Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Teofanis Tsimingatos  (GRE)2:35:39Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Corrie Konings  (NED)3:16:13
1974Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Ian Thompson  (GBR)2:13.50Flag of Germany.svg  Eva-Maria Westphal  (FRG)3:55:56
1973Flag of Finland.svg  Jouko Kuha  (FIN)2:32:26No women's race
1972Flag of Greece (1970-1975).svg  Yiannis Virvilis  (GRE)2:26:26No women's race

Statistics

Attendance

No.Year42 km. registrations42 km. finishers [20] Total registrations
20th2002 ?1.779 ?
21st2003 ?2.676 ?
22nd2004 ?2.868 ?
23rd2005 ?2.559 ?
24th20063.0732.626 ?
25th2007 ?3.4387.000
26th2008 ?3.84610.000
27th2009 ?3.855 ?
28th2010 ?10.37120.000
29th20119.0006.14417.500
30th20129.5006.47026.000
31st2013 ?8.50031.000
32nd201413.00010.48035.000
33rd201516.00011.88643.000
34th201618.00013.70750.000
35th201718.50014.74351.000
36th2018 ?15.27955.000

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marathon world record progression</span>

World records in the marathon are ratified by World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport of athletics.

The Singapore Marathon, or Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) is an annual international marathon race which is held on the first Sunday of December in the city of Singapore. It is a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beijing Marathon</span> Annual race in China held since 1981

The Beijing Marathon is an annual marathon race held around October in Beijing, People's Republic of China, since 1981. The race begins at Tiananmen Square and finishes in Celebration Square in Olympic Green. The full marathon is the only distance offered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gert Thys</span> South African long-distance runner

Gert Thys is a male long-distance runner from South Africa, who represented his native country in the marathon at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics. Thys is a former African record holder in the marathon, and is the current holder of the South African record with his best of 2:06:33 from the 1999 Tokyo International Marathon, which was also the course record for that race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nadia Ejjafini</span> Moroccan-born long-distance runner

Nadia Ejjafini is a Moroccan-born professional long-distance runner. She switched nationality from her birth country to Bahrain in 2003, and later became an Italian citizen by marriage in 2009.

Andriy Naumov or Andrii Naumov is a Ukrainian athlete who specialises in long distance running, principally the marathon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemane Tsegay</span> Ethiopian long-distance runner

Yemane Adhane Tsegay is an Ethiopian long distance runner who specialises in the marathon. He won the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon with a personal best time of 2:04:48 hours. He has also won marathons in Eindhoven, Gyeongju, Macau and Taipei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firehiwot Dado</span> Ethiopian long-distance runner

Firehiwot Tufa Dado is a female long-distance runner from Ethiopia, who won the New York City Marathon in 2011 with a personal best time of 2:23:15 hours. She also took three consecutive victories in the Rome City Marathon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Manza Kamakya</span> Kenyan long-distance runner

Nicholas Manza Kamakya is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in road running events, including marathons.

Alevtina Ivanova is a Russian long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon. She has won at the Prague International Marathon and the Nagano Olympic Commemorative Marathon. Ivanova has competed much on the road running circuit in the United States and has won the Beach to Beacon 10K, Crim 10-Mile Race, News and Sentinel Half Marathon and America's Finest City Half Marathon.

Anne Jepkemboi Kosgei is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in road running, including the marathon. She has won her first marathon races in San Sebastián and Trieste, and went on to win both the Belgrade Marathon and Venice Marathon in 2009. She set her personal best of 2:27:46 at the latter competition.

Raymond Kimutai Bett is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon.

Jonathan Kosgei Kipkorir is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in road running competitions, including marathons. He is a two-time winner of the Venice Marathon, with consecutive wins in 2006 and 2007, and won the 2010 Beppu-Ōita Marathon. He also competes over the half marathon and has wins from the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon and Porto Half Marathon. His personal best in the marathon is 2:07:31 while he has run 1:00:19 for the half marathon distance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Svetlana Ponomarenko</span> Russian long-distance runner

Svetlana Ponomarenko is a Russian long-distance runner who competes professionally in marathon races. She has a best of 2:29:55 hours for the distance. She won six consecutive marathons—going unbeaten from 2006 to 2008—winning in Frankfurt, Dallas (twice), Minneapolis, Nashville and Athens, Greece.

Ben Chebet Kipruto is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes professionally in marathon races. He is coached by Italian trainer Claudio Berardelli. He has a personal best time of 2:09:26 hours for the marathon distance and has won a number races in Europe, including the Italian Marathon, Florence Marathon and Maratona di Sant'Antonio in Padua.

Benson Kipchumba Barus is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in marathon and half marathon competitions. He has a personal best of 2:07:07 hours for the distance, set at the 2011 Prague Marathon, which he won. He also won the 2009 Turin Marathon and has placed top three in Rome, Beijing and Chuncheon.

Hafida Izem is a Moroccan marathon runner. She represented her country at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Based in Italy, she mainly competes in road races in the country, having won marathons in Bari, Treviso and Naples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamitu Daska</span> Ethiopian long-distance runner

Mamitu Daska Molisa, also known as Mamitu Deska, is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialises in road running events, including the marathon. She is a two-time team silver medallist at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She has won the Dubai Marathon and Houston Marathon and has a personal best of 2:21:59 hours for the distance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rael Nguriatukei Kinyara</span> Kenyan long-distance runner

Nguriatukei Rael Kinyara is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon. She has won races in Madrid, Graz, Padua and Luxembourg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Chepkwony</span> Kenyan long-distance runner

Caroline Jepchirchir Chepkwonynb is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in road running competitions.

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ "Results List".
  2. ↑ Over 43,000 ran in the 33rd Authentic Athens Marathon on Sunday tovima.gr Retrieved on Monday, November 09, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Panagopoulos, Kostas (2009). Editorial Archived January 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . Athens Classic Marathon. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  4. ↑ "About the Battle of Marathon".
  5. 1 2 3 Butcher, Pat (2008-11-06). Marathon talks, in Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  6. ↑ Nikitaridis, Michalis (2005-11-06). Saina and Measo are victorious in the Athens Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  7. 1 2 Drazdauskaite and Bett beat the heat to make history in Athens. IAAF (2010-10-31). Retrieved on 2010-10-31.
  8. ↑ Wenig, Jorg (2008-11-10). 2,500 years anniversary of the genesis of the marathon approaches. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  9. 1 2 Athens Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2008-08-18). Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  10. ↑ Kendal's own Athen's marathon winner. Westland Moore Gazette (2004-08-24). Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  11. 1 2 Nikitaridis, Michalis (2007-11-02). Athens Classic Marathon celebrates 25th anniversary – PREVIEW. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  12. ↑ 15 marathons awarded IAAF Gold Label Road Race certification for year 2011 Archived January 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . RunningSportsHub (2010-10-25). Retrieved on 2011-11-14.
  13. ↑ National Marathon Champions for Greece. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (2008-12-21). Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  14. ↑ "Το SolidarityNow Refugee Team τρέχει χιλιόμετρα αλληλεγγύης στον Κλασικό Μαραθώνιο 2016" (in Greek). Huffington Post. November 10, 2016.
  15. 1 2 "The 2020 Athens Marathon. The Authentic is Cancelled".
  16. ↑ "Athletics-Athens Marathon cancelled due to COVID-19".
  17. ↑ Butcher, Pat (2008-11-09). Athens Marathon record broken by nearly two minutes. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  18. 1 2 Butcher, Pat (2009-11-08). Ngetich, Ozaki prevail in ‘Battle of Marathon’ – Athens Marathon report. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  19. ↑ Nikitaridis, Michalis (2006-11-05). Tarus and Ogushi secure Athens Classic Marathon victories. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-11-08.
  20. ↑ athensauthenticmarathon.gr [ permanent dead link ] ATHENS MARATHON. THE AUTHENTIC - RESULTS
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.