Athens Marathon 2024

Athens Marathon 2024

The Athens Classic Marathon, also known as The Authentic, is an annual road race held in Athens, Greece, typically in early November, specifically on the second Sunday of the month, since 1972. It often doubles as Greece’s national marathon championships and has garnered significant attention. In 2015, a record-breaking 43,000 participants took part, with 16,000 tackling the full 42.195-kilometer (26.2-mile) course, making it the largest turnout in the event’s history. The remaining runners competed in either the 5 or 10-kilometer road races or in the racewalking contest.

The Athens marathon’s origin and course are deeply rooted in the Ancient Greek tale of Pheidippides, a messenger who, according to legend, ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. Continuing the tradition reminiscent of the Olympic Torch, the race incorporates the Marathon Flame, which is ignited at the Tomb of the Battle of Marathon and carried to the stadium in Marathon before each race commences. Additionally, an international marathon symposium convenes the day before the event.

While Greek athletes have historically excelled in both the men’s and women’s competitions, runners from East Africa and Japan have emerged as formidable contenders since 1999. Notably, Edwin Kiptoo set the current men’s course record of 2:10:34 hours in 2023, while Rasa Drazdauskaitė holds the women’s record with her 2:31:06 performance in 2010.