Totally unprecedented was the number of participants in the 10th OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO that took place along the coastal front of Limassol on Sunday April 10. With President Nicos Anastasiades firing the starting pistol, 13000 runners, ranging from six-year old kids to 80-plus years-old veterans, in addition to athletes on wheelchairs embarked on their chosen race, creating what looked like an endless seas of colours.
A total of 1500 athletes, from 52 countries, came to Cyprus from abroad to compete in the Marathon, more than in any of the previous years. The largest groups were from the UK, Poland and Greece.
Winning the Marathon was Poland’s Thomas Klisz in what was, interestingly, just the second time in his career that he ventured on the 42195 race. Underling Polish dominance in the 2016 Limassol, the women’s race was won by Sylwia Bondara.
Some 8000 runners, representing more than 200 companies, competed in the Primetel Corporate Race of 5km. Winning the Corporate Race was the 120-member group of Sanctum Spa & Fitness, while the largest group, bringing together 360 runners was that of Primetel.
«We wanted to turn the Marathon into a big celebration for Limassol and we achieved it:, said Spyros Spyrou, Head of the Organizing Committee. ‘’We now want to develop it into one of the best of its kind throughout Europe’’.
