Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Tergat helps with revival of Belgrade’s Race Through History
Paul Tergat in Belgrade as the guest of honour for the city's Race Through History (Belgrade Marathon Co)
relnews
Belgrade, Serbia - After a ten year hiatus, the Belgrade Race Through History takes place in the Serbian capital on Wednesday afternoon. Paul Tergat of Kenya, the only man to run all four of the races around the Belgrade Fortress in the late 1990s was an eloquent advocate for the spectacular event at a re-launch press conference in the fortress on Monday morning.
Five-time World cross champion and former World marathon record holder, Tergat is preparing for the New York Marathon in two weeks’ time, so will not compete this year, but has brought two of his young Kenyan trainees.
“This event is unique,” said Tergat, “there is not another race in the world like it, with its mixture of culture and history. It’s not a road race, nor is it cross country. I ran it four times, but I never won. I was second three times, and third. But I always said I’d like to end my career with this race. It’s gratifying to see the city and the cultural heritage foundation backing the race. Now that it’s revived, I hope to see it going in 40 years time”.
The race is as unusual as its title. It is a six kilometre mix of park pathways, grass and cobblestones around the legendary Kalemegdan Fortress, which stands above the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, with a traceable history of well over 2000 years.
“It took us three years to inaugurate, and ten years to revive,” said Race Director Dejan Nikolic, who also organises the annual Belgrade Marathon. “It was quite simply money problems, but we also had to convince a lot of people again, to let us hold it on the Fortress.”
The tight, switchback course meant that there were never more than 30 athletes in the original race, and it is relaunching with 18 runners from nine countries, including Tergat’s charges, Moses Kangogo and Albert Kangor. Favourites are probably another pair of Kenyans, Boniface Kirui (27:41 10km) and Julius Kiptoo (13:06.12 5000m).
Nikolic admits that the field is not as strong as in former years, but said, “We just wanted to reestablish it this year, and with the help of the International Athletics Foundation and the City of Belgrade, we are happy to have it again.”
Pat Butcher for the IAAF
Five-time World cross champion and former World marathon record holder, Tergat is preparing for the New York Marathon in two weeks’ time, so will not compete this year, but has brought two of his young Kenyan trainees.
“This event is unique,” said Tergat, “there is not another race in the world like it, with its mixture of culture and history. It’s not a road race, nor is it cross country. I ran it four times, but I never won. I was second three times, and third. But I always said I’d like to end my career with this race. It’s gratifying to see the city and the cultural heritage foundation backing the race. Now that it’s revived, I hope to see it going in 40 years time”.
The race is as unusual as its title. It is a six kilometre mix of park pathways, grass and cobblestones around the legendary Kalemegdan Fortress, which stands above the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, with a traceable history of well over 2000 years.
“It took us three years to inaugurate, and ten years to revive,” said Race Director Dejan Nikolic, who also organises the annual Belgrade Marathon. “It was quite simply money problems, but we also had to convince a lot of people again, to let us hold it on the Fortress.”
The tight, switchback course meant that there were never more than 30 athletes in the original race, and it is relaunching with 18 runners from nine countries, including Tergat’s charges, Moses Kangogo and Albert Kangor. Favourites are probably another pair of Kenyans, Boniface Kirui (27:41 10km) and Julius Kiptoo (13:06.12 5000m).
Nikolic admits that the field is not as strong as in former years, but said, “We just wanted to reestablish it this year, and with the help of the International Athletics Foundation and the City of Belgrade, we are happy to have it again.”
Pat Butcher for the IAAF