Thessaloniki Marathon Runners Faced Rain and Crossed the Finish Line

Gonfa Bonsa Atomsa: Winner of the 10th Alexander the Great International Marathon.

Over 20,000 marathon runners braved the cold and wet conditions Sunday to cross the finish line for the 10^th Alexander the Great International Marathon in Thessaloniki.

Participation in the annual marathon increased by 40 percent compared to last year and reached 20.410 (1,818 ran the historic Pella-Thessaloniki route of 42 km, 12,615 participated in the 5km Health and Road Walk, 3,977 in the 10km Health and Power Walking race, and some 2,000 primary school students ran the 1km course). Runners came from 67 countries and five continents.

Gonfa Bonsa Atomsa from Ethiopia was the big winner of the 10th Alexander the Great International Marathon. He ran the historic Pella-Thessaloniki route and crossed the finish line first, clocking the race at 2.18.06.

Second in the 10th Alexander the Great International Marathon was Silas Too (2.21.31) and third was James Emuria (2.22.38).

The first Greek athlete to cross the finish line was Kyriakos Simiriotis (2:27:59) in the sixth place.

Zeritu Wakjira Begasha from Ethiopia came in first in the women’s division.

In the woman’s division, Zeritu Wakjira Begasha from Ethiopia came in first clocking 2.40.49.

Second was Stellah Barsosio from Kenya (2.40.54) and third was Marija Vrajic from Croatia (2.47.51).

The first Greek female across the finish line was Elpida Semeonidou who clocked 3:24:54 and came in sixth.

The 10th Alexander the Great International Marathon was organized by Thessaloniki’s MEAS Triton sports federation, under the auspices of the Greek National Commission for UNESCO, the Greek Olympic Committee, the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) and AIMS, and is supported by volunteer groups.

The first Alexander the Great marathon was held in 2006.

Photo source: Alexander the Great Marathon press office