Marathon in Ukrainian capital draws runners from 50 countries

More than 6,600 runners from 50 countries took part in the 7th edition of the annual International Kiev City Marathon, which was held in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday, the press service of the event said Monday.

"The race was attended by eight competitors from China. There were also many representatives of Belarus, the United States, France, Germany and Russia," Victoria Veremeenko, a spokesperson for Kiev Marathon, told Xinhua.

This year's marathon covered a classic route, passing through the well-known sightseeing places, such as Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Mother Motherland monument and St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery.

The Independence Square, located in the heart of the Ukrainian capital, was the starting and finishing point of the marathon.

The event included the full distance race of 42.095 kilometers, half-marathon, 10-kilometer challenge and fun runs of 5 kilometers and 2 kilometers.

Cool weather, gusty winds and heavy rain, which brought an entire month's rainfall to Kiev within several hours, failed to dampen the spirits of the competitors.

Some runners were wearing waterproof jackets to avoid getting wet, while others were warming themselves with hot tea.

A 28-year-old competitor Viktoria Sigaeva, who participated in the marathon for the third time, said she sees the "wet race" as an opportunity to test herself in the challenging environment.

"If you love something, it does not matter what the weather is. I decided to take part in the marathon despite the rain, to show that it is necessary to practice sports regardless of the weather conditions," Sigaeva, the 5-km runner, told Xinhua.

The main aim of the marathon, which is held in Kiev annually since 2010, is to promote healthy lifestyles and to develop the running culture.

This year's event was also aimed at raising funds for several charity projects, including treatment of children with rare diseases.

The record for men's competition in the 2016 full distance race was set by a Ukrainian runner Oleg Leshchinin at 2:31:10, while Yulia Bairamova, also from Ukraine, was the first among women with the result of 3:01:11. Endit