Athens Hosts 42nd Authentic Marathon With Over 70,000 Runners
Athens is celebrating a once-in-a-year event, as thousands of athletes and spectators gathered in the Greek capital for the 42nd Athens Authentic Marathon. Over 73,000 participants from Greece and around the world took to the streets, competing in the 42.195‑kilometer marathon and the 10‑kilometer road race.
The main marathon event began at 9:00 a.m. local time from the historic town of Marathon, retracing the legendary route to the Panathenaic Stadium, while the 10‑kilometer race started an hour earlier. Organizers expected approximately 24,000 runners for the full marathon and nearly 50,000 for the shorter distance, making it one of the largest races ever held in Greece.
Greek runner Panagiotis Karaiskos lived up to expectations, crossing the finish line first at the Panathenaic Stadium to win the Athens Marathon with a time of 2:20:10. Last year, he had come second with 2:19:50. Karaiskos was followed by Kostas Stamoulis (2:23:24) and last year’s winner, Babis Pitsolis (2:24:02).
“It’s my second victory in the marathon and I’m very happy. I kept my own pace, no one followed, and I managed the race well,” said Karaiskos.
Over 24,000 runners took part in the marathon alone, while 50,000 competed in the 10K event. Among the women, Matina Noula triumphed for the second consecutive year, finishing first in 2:39:27 ahead of Giota Vlachaki (2:49:31) and Rania Rebouli (2:52:07).
Athens’ heart beats in the rhythm of its Marathon race
Authorities have already implemented a massive-scale road closure operation across Attica to ensure smooth and safe passage for the tens of thousands of participants.
From early Friday, the Traffic Police shut down major avenues, including Vasileos Georgiou I (King George) and Archimidous (Archimedes) streets, with restrictions lasting until Sunday afternoon in certain areas. Marathonos Avenue saw controlled reverse‑flow lanes between 5:00 and 8:00 a.m. local time for athlete transport buses, while a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h was set for all vehicles.
There have also been special arrangements made for public transportation across the Greek capital, as additional trains have been added on metro lines to meet increased passenger demand. On the tram network, Line 6 between Pikrodafni and Syntagma operated only up to Fix station until 9:00 p.m., with central stops at Syntagma, Zappeio, and Vouliagmeni temporarily closed. Several bus and trolley routes across Athens municipalities were also diverted.
Weather in Athens today
Weather conditions proved generally favorable for runners although the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) warned of cloudy intervals and light showers. Temperatures ranged from 17°C to 22°C (62°F to 72°F) along the course, which are considered ideal for the race. Unfortunately, high humidity levels in the early stages made the route more demanding until athletes reached central Athens.
The classic 42.195‑kilometer route begins near the Marathon Tomb and passes through Nea Makri, Rafina, Pikermi, and Pallini before culminating in the Panathenaic Stadium. This is the same venue that hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Related: Athens 42nd Marathon Kicks Off on 2,500-Year-Old Ancient Greek Route
PR Newswire
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