The Seaside Marathon Odesa took place, gathering around 600 participants, including veterans of the war. Here’s a report on the event.
In the morning, participants gathered near the Sports Palace. At eight o'clock, they lined up at the starting line. The marathon began with a special race for individuals in wheelchairs.
One of the participants, Alexander, shared his experience: "I completed three kilometers around the Victory Park."
"Our goal is to show that we are people with disabilities, just like everyone else. We can achieve success and reach our goals without limitations. It was tough, but we managed," he noted.
Marathon participants challenged themselves with distances of 5 km, 10 km, 21 km, and 42 km. Additionally, war veterans took part in a ceremonial march called "Veteran's Path" over a distance of 100 meters. Children participated in races of 100 meters, 500 meters, and one kilometer.
Hanna, who had no preparation, ran five kilometers: "There was snow, rain, and hail, yet I reached the finish line. Honestly, I walked a bit because running five kilometers without special training is quite difficult."
This event in Odesa was held for the second time, said organizer Olga Volobueva. This year, it attracted around 600 participants from Ukraine and abroad. All the funds raised will be donated to the development of adaptive sports in the Odesa region.
The marathon route went through the streets: Shevchenko Avenue, Academic Street, Volunteer Street, Champagne Lane, and back to Shevchenko Avenue. Traffic was restricted during the event.
