Greek Runner Wins 38th Athens Marathon

Photo source: SEGAS / Copyright: TATIANA BOLARI/EUROKINISSI

Greek runner Konstantinos Gkelaouzos was the first to pass the finish line of the 38th “Athens Marathon. The Authentic” on Sunday, which was the first to take place after the outbreak of Covid-19.

Some 2,500 athletes from across the globe came to Athens to run the historic marathon, which however saw fewer international running stars this year due to the Covid-19 health measures. 

Photo source: SEGAS / Copyright: YIANNIS PANAGOPOULOS/EUROKINISSI

Photo source: SEGAS / Copyright: YIANNIS PANAGOPOULOS/EUROKINISSI

Greeks took the lead with Gkelaouzos clocking 2:16:49 and breaking the previous best record by a Greek achieved by Nikos Polias. Panagiotis Mpourikas came in second with a time of 2:22:33, followed by Charalampos Pistolis and 2:24:05.

In the women’s category, Gloria-Tziovan Privilegio came in first and 26th in the overall category with a time of 2:41:30, followed by Aikaterini Asimakopoulou (2:48:12) and Vasiliki Konstantinopoulou (2:51:32).

Photo source: SEGAS / Copyright: EUROKINISSI

The oldest marathon runner this year was 90-year-old Stelios Prassas, who completed the 38th Athens Marathon on Sunday as his grandchildren cheered him on at the ancient Panathenaic Stadium.

Special awards

On Sunday, Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) awarded individuals who have contributed to the marathon through their work and actions.

Photo source: SEGAS / Copyright: YIENANTA DELAI/EUROKINISSI

Among these were doctors Giorgos Theoharis and Apostolos Vafeiadis who together with the staff at Serres Hospital completed the marathon’s 42.19km running 44 rounds in the hospital in support of all doctors and nurses working against Covid.

Photo source: SEGAS / Copyright: YIANNIS PANAGOPOULOS/EUROKINISSI

Photo source: SEGAS / Copyright: YIENANTA DELAI/EUROKINISSI

Awards were also received by sculptor Kostas Varotsos who has created “The Dromeas” – a work depicting a runner opposite the Hilton Athens Hotel – as well as this year’s medals, and activist and ultramarathon runner Agis Emmanouil.

The Athens Marathon was organized by SEGAS, the Attica Region, the municipalities of Athens and Marathon, and the Hellenic Olympic Committee.

Considered one of the most important races in the world of sports, the Athens Marathon is based on the route run in 490 BC by Athenian messenger Pheidippides, who legend has it died of exhaustion after announcing to the Athenians that the Greeks had won the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. The first Marathon race was organized during the 1896 Olympics.

Once again, this year, the Greek Travel Pages (GTP) team participated in the Athens Marathon. The Authentic 2021.

GTP is a communication sponsor of the event.