FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
"Athens Marathon. The Authentic" on November 10
Defending champion Brimin Misoi leads elite field in Athens
2004 Olympic champion Stefano Baldini brings historical perspective
to the original classic course
Brimin Misoi, the Kenyan who made headlines with an emphatic victory last
year, will take pride of place on the start line for the 37th edition of
the "Athens Marathon. The Authentic" on Sunday, November 10. Misoi ran the
third fastest time ever of 2:10:56 on the renowned, tough course from the
coastal town of Marathon to the heart of Athens. He crossed the finish line
in the Panathenaic Stadium, venue for the 1896 Olympic Games, almost two
minutes clear of his nearest rival. Retaining the title will prove no easy
task despite the Kenyan improving his personal best to 2:09:31 in the
Vienna City Marathon in April where he was sixth. His rivals will include
compatriot Daniel Muteti, whose best of 2:09:25 in finishing second in the
Cape Town Marathon was achieved in mid-September. Adding historic lustre
will be the 2004 Olympic champion Stefano Baldini. On his return to the
original marathon course the Italian will be running as a "tourist" rather
than elite competitor but his Olympic winning time of 2:10:55 was just one
second faster than Brimin Misoi's last year, further proof of the Kenyan's
quality.
The "Athens Marathon. The Authentic" has already broken records in the race
build-up with participation limits in the marathon and parallel events now
fully booked. A record total of more than 20,000 will run the marathon, a
further 12,000 take part in the 10km road race and another 20,000 run the
5km Road Race ZERO WASTE FUTURE (by Coca-Cola), while total numbers of
runners in all events has exceeded 60,000, another record. This festival of
running is organized as in previous years by the Hellenic Athletics
Federation (SEGAS). For the first time the 10km road race will be held on
Saturday evening in central Athens, rather than all the running events
taking place on Sunday, another indication of the tremendous growth of
interest in the past few years, including a steep rise in the international
entry among mass runners. This year 12,000 runners from more than 120
countries will be represented among the 60,000 involved in total, making
the Athens Marathon one of the most international races in the world.
One more record of the event is the attendance of the races at the 13th
AIMS Marathon Symposium and the 7th Best Marathon Runners Awards Gala: Race
directors and representatives of 80 international marathons from 45
countries will be present.
As for the race for top honours, Brimin Misoi has not raced since the
Vienna City Marathon in April where he brought his personal best down to
2:09:31. A rival and fellow Kenyan who knows what it means to run at that
level is Daniel Muteti, making his debut on the Athens course. As recently
as September 15 he ran his best of 2:09:25 to finish second in Cape Town.
He has had a busy year in marathon terms in general, having begun with
2:10:55 for fourth in Mumbai on January 20. Athens and its challenging,
rolling hills then descent for the last 10km may test his powers of
recovery. Rhonzas Kilimo of Kenya dropped out of his debut marathon in
Hamburg in late April but the former steeplechaser finished second in the
Berlin Half Marathon with 61:01, an indication of marathon promise, at
least. Also known as Rhonzaz Lokitam he clocked a half marathon PB of 60:49
a year ago in Valencia. These runners and others have the potential to put
Felix Kandie's 2014 course record of 2:10:37under pressure.
One outcome already certain is that every marathon finisher in the
Panathenaic Stadium will receive their own piece of history in the form of
the inaugural medal depicting the history of the race. To be awarded over
the next eight years, this debut finisher's medal, aptly enough, portrays
the Battle of Marathon where the legend of the lone Athenian
soldier-messenger began.
More information is available at: www.athensauthenticmarathon.gr
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