OPAP Limassol Marathon to see unique racing this April

One of the world’s leading long-distance athletes, Czech Olympic champion Emil Zátopek once said: “If you want to win a race, run 100m. If you want to have a meaningful experience, run a marathon.” So, it is fitting that the latter unique experience will again be offered to thousands of runners in Cyprus, over the weekend of April 13-14, in the annual OPAP Limassol Marathon.

This is the island’s biggest marathon event, with OPAP Cyprus its sponsor since 2016. “Endurance over time demonstrates, on the one hand, the effort of a marathon race, and on the other, the outcome of a presence, such as the one OPAP Cyprus has in the Limassol Marathon,” noted OPAP Cyprus Chief Commercial Officer Alexandros Ntavos, speaking at a press conference at the Olympic Hall on April 5, 2024.

Ntavos pointed out it was no coincidence that OPAP in both Cyprus and Greece has been associated with the marathon. “Other than being a premier event in both countries,” he noted, “the historical approach of the marathon favours strong symbolism that allows us to feel good about our participation.” As embodiments of the marathon’s spirit, CCO Ntavos referred to Spyros Louis, a Greek who won the first modern-day Olympic marathon at the 1896 Summer Games, Stelios Kyriakides a Greek Cypriot who triumphed at the Boston Marathon in 1946, and Panayiotis Karaiskos who won the Athens marathon last year.

Congratulating the organisers and thousands of runners who will participate in the OPAP Limassol Marathon, Ntavos added that “the entries have exceeded initial estimates and expectations”, and called on participants to create and receive unique experiences via their efforts.

For his part, Cyprus Olympic Committee President George Chrysostomou welcomed attendees at the Olympic Hall, stressing that Olympian values are authentically expressed by the long-distance running event and are further enhanced by the social dimension of the OPAP Limassol Marathon.

As in year’s past, ANT1 undertook the coverage of the event, with its Public Relations Director Antigoni Papafilippou assuring attendees that the OPAP Limassol Marathon’s promotion would live up to both the size of the event and the journalistic responsibility and authority of the station.

In addition to its support for the racing event, OPAP Cyprus will also offer its collaboration in terms of the Olympic Committee’s “Sport for All” programme, which the company backs consistently.