Over 16,300 Marathon runners take part in the city’s huge Marathon Party

Valencia ‘The Running City’ had a field day. This was not only because of the new trial records set for the Marathon and the 10-kilometre races, by Kitwara and Chemlal (respectively) but also due to the huge participation in the events. This was evidenced by the heady combination of: runners thronging the city’s streets; the festive atmosphere; the crowds (citizens, runners’ friends and family, tourists) there to cheer the athletes on.

A total of 16,315 crossed the Finishing Line in the Valencia Marathon, which — pending the official classifications — is a new record number of Finishers in the trial. A total of 18,027 race bibs were picked up from The Runners’ Fair [Expo Deporte] over the weekend.

Furthermore, another 7,537 runners took part in the fast Valencia Trinidad Alfonso 10-kilometre race, putting their best foot forward in the city’s sporting and athletics event. The Start Line for the 10-kilometre race was the same as the one for the Marathon, with the athletes crossing the Pont de Montolivet [bridge] before putting the final spurt to the Finishing Line on the boardwalk spanning the central pond in the City of Arts and Sciences. They were followed a while later by the brilliant winner of the Marathon, Sammy Kitwara.