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Ελληνικά 
Sunday, April 27, may have started with rain, but the enthusiasm, passion, and smiles of 6,000 runners from 48 countries brought true sunshine to the Poseidon Half Marathon and its parallel events! The energy of the participants, combined with the lively spirit of the 270 volunteers, turned the 16th edition of the event into a true celebration of running along Athens’ southern coastal front.
With the start and finish line at the Sports and Cultural Center of the Municipality of Palaio Faliro, runners of all ages and skill levels—more than ever before in the event’s history—ran along six of the most beautiful routes in the country, right by the sea. The newly designed routes for the Half Marathon and the 5K race stood out in particular, having been officially measured and certified by WA/AIMS, in accordance with the standards of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), reinforcing the international prestige of the event. Participants enjoyed the new course embracing the Faliro Bay and the vibrant atmosphere created by street musicians as part of the program “Music and Musicians by the Waves.” They also sent out a strong message for life and health with the motto: “I Run & Walk. I Give Value to My Steps! Action Against Diabetes and Obesity. Now!” The joy continued inside the stadium, where sponsor booths offered interactive games and numerous surprises for the crowd.
In the competitive segment, the day’s main event—the Half Marathon—was won by Ivan Montcharmon from France with a time of 1:11:12. Second place went to Matthieu Roupel, also from France, with 1:12:37, and Filippos Nanos completed the podium with 1:16:14. In the women’s category, Electra Fragkiadaki took the top spot with a time of 1:30:12, followed by Marie Sandvik Antbo from Norway with 1:30:46 and Réka Tergieki from Hungary in third place with 1:32:13.
In the Quarter Marathon, Mirian Henrot from Belgium secured first place with a time of 35:04, followed by Anastasios Moustakis at 38:55, and Paul Guerin from France in third with 40:01. On the women’s side, Michaela Abatzioglou won with 42:35, Ioanna Kremmyda came second with 45:53, and Maria Kasma finished third with 47:27.
In the 5K Race, Panagiotis Christinakis crossed the finish line first with a time of 17:02, followed closely by Nikolaos Klouvatos (17:15), and Alexis Georgiou (17:19). In the women’s race, Lela Kehagia won with 21:25, with Vasiliki Kotoula (21:48) and Maria-Irini Goula (22:13) taking second and third, respectively.
With the same passion and energy, participants in the 5K Power Walking race set their own pace, without timing, proving that the essence lies in participation, movement, and the joy of shared experience. Young runners in the Children’s Race ran 1,000 meters, spreading excitement and smiles. The Social Contribution Race was especially moving, with each step supporting the valuable work of the Panhellenic Association of Adapted Activities “ALMA,” showing that running can be a starting point for solidarity and empathy. Alongside the runners were representatives of the association and the children they care for, who live with intellectual disabilities or autism.
Under the banner of Athens’ first historically established half marathon, a rich program of social and cultural events unfolded on Sunday, April 27. Among the highlights was the annual Panhellenic Children’s Art Competition for ages 4–14. Hundreds of young artists creatively depicted the theme “Running is Play, Running is Joy.” Their works are on display to the public until Sunday, May 4, daily from 10:00–14:00 and 17:30–20:30 at the ground floor of the “Sofia Befon” Municipal Indoor Gymnasium in Palaio Faliro, inviting visitors to see sports through the eyes of children.
In collaboration with the “Team for the World” Institute, the event also continued its “ECO Environment – A Way of Life!” initiative, significantly reducing its environmental footprint. Recycling bins for plastic bottles and brown bins for banana waste (to be composted) were placed around the venue. Additionally, water collection containers at the start and finish lines gathered surplus water, which will be used for watering gardens and green spaces in the Faliro Bay area.
The event was held under the auspices of the Region of Attica, the Municipalities of Palaio Faliro and Alimos, the Greek National Tourism Organization, the World Health Organization – Healthy Cities Network, the Hellenic Diabetes Association, and the Hellenic Police.
