Kenyan Lobuwan Luka Rotich wins Athens 34th Authentic Marathon

Kenyan runner Lobuwan Luka Rotich won the 34th Athens Authentic Marathon on Sunday under the cheers of thousands of spectators, in his first participation in the event on its original course.

The 28-year-old athlete crossed the finish line at the marble Panathinaic Stadium in the centre of Athens, covering in 2:12:49 the 42 km distance from Marathon city to Athens first run by legendary Athenian soldier Pheidippides 2,500 years ago.

Rotich did not manage to break the record on the authentic course held since 2014 by Kenyan runner Felix Kipchirchir Kandie, but shared his joy with two of his compatriots.

Kenyans Kipruto Benson and Kimtai Andrew Ben ranked second and third in the men's division respectively.

In the women's division, also in her debut in Athens, Kenyan runner Nancy Arusei won the first place clocking 2:38:13.

Regardless of times recorded, all elite athletes and amateur runners who crossed the finish line inside the marble venue of the 1896 first modern Olympics, including those participating in the parallel shorter 10km and 5km distances, were welcomed with warm applauses from the crowd and top Greek and foreign athletes.

Last year, the organizers from the Hellenic Sports Federation (SEGAS) had to forego having an international elite field because of the country's bank capital control, but the mainly African elite contingent was back this time.

SEGAS in collaboration with the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) held special celebrations this year, marking the 120th anniversary of the revival of the race on the original course in modern times during the 1896 Athens Olympics.

Shortly before Lobuwan reached the stadium, Greece's Olympic team in this summer's Rio Olympic Games paraded. In addition, Greek veteran runners, as well as descendants of the two Greeks who had won the first and second place in the 1896 Marathon (Spyros Louis and Haris Vassilakos) were honored with awards.

Inside Panathinaic stadium on Sunday, cheering for this year's winners, were also legends such as retired Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie and the Estonian triplets Leila, Liina and Lily Luik who participated in the Rio Olympics and run the 10 kilometers course in Athens on Sunday.

The main message of the organizers was that all participants are winners. A record 50,000 people from 100 countries and regions across the world, including some 500 Chinese, took part this year in the event. Among them were infants in strollers and white-haired veterans.

Around 17,500 runners had registered to run the 42 kilometers tough original course.

The Athens Marathon race originates from the feat of Pheidippides who run from the Marathon battlefield to Athens to announce Greeks' victory over the Persian forces and died from exhaustion, inspiring modern Marathons. Endit