STORY: 380 runners join grueling course at Spartathlon ultramarathon
DATELINE: Oct. 2, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:44
LOCATION: Athens
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the race
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): DIETMAR GOEBEL, Spartathlon athlete
3. various of the race
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Greek): THOMAS KOENEXL, Spartathlon athlete

STORYLINE:

The 41st edition of the Spartathlon ultramarathon race was held over the weekend.

Some 380 runners from 50 countries and regions finished the 245-kilometer event from Athens to Sparta in southern Greece.

Following the footsteps of the ancient Greek soldier Pheidippides, their common goal was to cross the finish line on Sunday.

According to ancient Greek historians, in 490 BC, ahead of the battle of Marathon against the Persian forces, Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta to request support. He reached his destination on foot nonstop within two days.

In 1982, three British runners set off to test whether the references were correct, leading to the establishment of the event.

Runners crossed olive groves next to archaeological sites and rough tracks, and climbed steep hillsides and mountains to reach the statue of ancient King Leonidas in Sparta within the 36-hour time limit. There they would be awarded an olive wreath and drink a sip of water from the Evrotas River.

Dietmar Goebel, a 58-year-old orthopedic surgeon from Germany, has made it nine times and was confident of celebrating his 10th finish.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): DIETMAR GOEBEL, Spartathlon athlete
"All throughout the year I live for this race, so when I come here, it is like coming home. In 2014, I did my personal best in 26 hours. In 2016, I finished with my son, the first finished father-son."

This year he ran next to his friend, Thomas Kornexl, a notary who ran the Spartathlon for the first time.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Greek): THOMAS KOENEXL, Spartathlon athlete
"It was my dream (to participate). I searched for info on the Internet five years ago and since then, I have not stopped thinking about how I could make it to stand here one day, running next to champions. I am only a beginner. If you want (to achieve something), you can. The question is what do you want."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Athens.
(XHTV)