Race with a twist

Mogilev International Marathon is expanding its programme and waiting for thousands of runners at the start line

Vladislav Pryamov became the winner of International Mogilev Marathon 2023            Andrei Sazonov

On October 6th, Mogilev is getting ready to host the international marathon for the fifth time. More than five thousand runners are expected to participate! In addition to the traditional distances — 3, 10, and 42.195 kilometres — and family races, the competition will include a marathon relay called ekiden. 
In fact, this is by no means a new concept. Dmitry Sivov, the chief judge of Mogilev International Marathon, explained, “Ekiden, which originated in Japan, has a rich history. In loose translation, it means ‘relay of postal carriers’. They used to run from one city to another, passing bags with letters. Nowadays, ekiden is very popular in China and Japan, with world championships for this sport held in the past. There were also National Ekiden Championships in Belarus, traditionally held in Kopyl on a track with interesting descents and serious climbs. Participants still remember this celebration of running.”   
The organisers of Mogilev International Marathon seriously considered bringing ekiden back to Belarusian tracks last year. Now, the idea will become a reality. During the ekiden race, athletes will need to complete six stages: 5km, 10km, 5km, 10km, 5km, and 7.195km. Both men’s and women’s teams, as well as mixed teams consisting of three men and three women, are invited to participate in the relay. Notably, instead of a relay baton, participants will need to pass a ribbon, which will have a chip attached to it. The chip will record the completion of the track.
The big running festival kicks off at 10am sharp. The first participants to set off will be those in the most popular mass race for 3km. At 11am, the starting gun will fire for marathon runners competing in the 10km race and the ekiden relay. The Family Race, in which the youngest running enthusiasts will cover a distance of 500 metres, will begin at 12:30.   
Organisers are also expecting quite a few renowned athletes. Thus, in the men’s marathon, we will keep an eye on Vladislav Pryamov, a multiple winner of Mogilev International Marathon and Minsk Half Marathon, as well as a participant in the Olympic Games. Additionally, we will see Yuri Kapterov, who has also won in Mogilev, Nikita Chakhouski, a marathon prizewinner, and Stsiapan Rahautsou, a participant in two Olympics. In the women’s marathon, the main star will be Maryna Damantsevich, the winner of both Mogilev International Marathon and Minsk Half Marathon. On the 10km distance, we are looking forward to seeing another experienced Belarusian runner — Volha Nemahai.  
Apart from various races, Mogilev International Marathon will feature plenty of other captivating activities. A cultural and entertainment programme will be organised in the parking area of the H2O Sports Complex: participants and guests of the event will be treated to soldier’s porridge, and runners who have paid the entry fee will have the chance to take part in a lottery with valuable prizes, which is going to be a novelty at the marathon. Speaking of prizes — in addition to monetary rewards for winners and runners-up, all participants in the 10km, 42.195km, and ekiden races will receive T-shirts specially produced for the event, and medals. Awards will also be given to the first thousand runners completing the 3km distance.

By Tatiana Pastushenko