Despite the rain, the OPAP Limassol Marathon got underway on Saturday with President Nikos Christodoulides saying “I congratulate the organisers, we need more events such as this” as he started it.
“This is the eleventh marathon and I emphasise that there are over 3,000 participants from over 70 countries taking part, and we must invest more in such major sporting events that have a humanitarian aspect – since it supports the Karaiskakio Foundation,” the president added.
Quizzed by reporters at the scene, Christodoulides said that he would prefer to be running in the marathon but that it will likely have to wait until next year.
“I’ve taken part in the past and I promise that I’ll do it next year… and I will encourage some of the cabinet members to run with me,” the president said.
The major sponsor of the event is, once again, OPAP Cyprus, with the Karaiskakio Foundation the main recipient of its support, as announced at a press conference launching the event.