News / Sports

168 athletes to participate in Iran’s Pars Marathon: Official

Monday, 04 April 2016 1:09 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 04 April 2016 1:08 PM ]

This file photo shows competitors vying for the top honor during a national marathon event in the city of Aran va Bidgol, Isfahan Province, central Iran.

An Iranian track and field official says a total of 168 competitors from 36 different countries have already expressed their readiness to participate in the first edition of the international Pars Marathon later this week.

Sirous Zare’ Mohazzabieh, the head of Iran’s Fars Province track and field committee, said the competition will be held on April 9, and athletes will run an official distance of 42.195 kilometers (26.21875 miles).

He added that the sports event will start from the ruins of Persepolis, situated 60 kilometers (37.2 miles) northeast of the city of southern Iranian city of Shiraz, past Naqsh-e Rostam rural district in Marvdasht County and finally end in Persepolis.

Zare’ Mohazzabieh further noted that athletes from participating countries will enter Shiraz, the capital of Fars Province, on April 6.

Marathon was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, who was a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.

Even though marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, its distance was standardized in 1921.

More than 500 marathon competitions are held across the world annually, and a great proportion of participants are recreational athletes.

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