Tens of thousands participate in Eurasia marathon acrross the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul
Tens of thousands of people participated in İstanbul’s famed Eurasia Marathon on Sunday, daring cold weather and rain to run through the city’s major roads and across the Bosporus Bridge. Turkish broadcasters said at least 100,000 people, most carrying umbrellas, took part in the annual event despite cold and rainy weather. Authorities allowed up to a maximum of 25,000 people to walk on the bridge at one time due to safety reasons. Last year, the lack of restrictions on the bridge during the marathon caused some concerns, as the bridge was shaking, with tens of thousands of people walking on it.
Participants filled İstanbul’s Bosporus Bridge, which links the Asian continent to Europe, as well as some of the city’s major roads, as they ran the 15-kilometer race course. Major roads and crossings in Beşiktaş, Taksim, Gümüşsuyu, Kabataş, Karaköy, Eminönü, Sirkeci, Şişhane, Unkapanı, some parts of the TEM and E-5 highways, and Kennedy Avenue (also known as the Coast Road), up to the Ataköy district, were closed to traffic.
The Zincirlikuyu-Söğütlüçeşme Metrobus route, running from Zincirlikuyu on İstanbul’s European side to Kadıköy on the Anatolian side, was also closed on Sunday to allow İstanbul residents and visitors a rare opportunity to walk along the Bosporus Bridge. İstanbul mayor Kadir Topbaş, who opened the public marathon on Sunday morning, asked the public to have patience with the traffic and transit restrictions throughout İstanbul.
Sunday’s marathon is the 33rd edition of the Intercontinental Eurasia Marathon, an international event organized by the İstanbul Municipality on a Sunday in October every year. The race course spans two continents — Europe on one side and Asia on the other. The event consists of the marathon itself (42.195 kilometers), plus a 15-kilometer race, and an 8-kilometer fun run without timing or ranking.
The marathon starts on the Asian side of İstanbul, crosses the Bosporus Bridge and then the Golden Horn bridge and passes under the Valens Aqueduct, on the way to a beach on the Marmara Sea. For professional athletes, the marathon finishes on the European side at the Hippodrome — one of the oldest racetracks in the world, situated in the historic district of Sultanahmet, which has an abundance of ancient monuments and sites. For participants in the public race, the marathon ends near the Beşiktaş İnönü Stadium in Dolmabahçe. Free transportation was provided for participants from Taksim (in front of the Atatürk Cultural Center) and from Sultanahmet (near Hagia Sophia).
The winners
Vincent Kiplagat of Kenya won the men’s marathon this year, with a time of 2:10:58. Kiplagat was also the winner of the men’s event last year, with a time of 2:10:39. He also broke a course record last year, which had previously belonged to 2007 champion David Emmanuel Cheruiyot.
Tariku Jufar and Tsegay Gebreselassie of Ethiopia came second and third with times of 2:11:31 and 2:13:39, respectively.
In the women’s event, Ethiopian Alemitu Abera was first with 2:27:56. Two other Ethiopians — Fatuma Sedo and Tsega Gelaw — finished second and third, respectively. Sedo clocked in at 2:28:01 and Gelaw at 2:28:38.
16 October 2011
SOURCE: TODAYSZAMAN.COM
