A large-scale marathon was held in Odesa to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Odessa hosted a large-scale "Indomitable" half-marathon, which brought together more than 3,000 professional athletes and amateurs from across the country.
The main goal of this sporting event was to raise charitable funds to strengthen the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The organizers offered participants a choice of several classic distances: 21 kilometers, 10 kilometers, 5 kilometers, and 1.6 kilometers.
Special attention was given to the youngest runners, for whom children’s races of 300, 500, and 1,000 meters were organized.
According to Ivan Tretyakov, the operations director of Run Ukraine, a total of 3,500 athletes took the starting line, and the largest delegation of participants arrived in Odesa from Kyiv.
“There is a military component to the competition. Today, we are either on the front lines or working for the front lines. All our actions must be directed toward strengthening the Defense Forces. That is why all our projects are specifically aimed at raising funds for the units,” Tretyakov emphasized.
Part of the running route passed through the historic city center, allowing participants to enjoy famous architectural landmarks.
The organizers ensured the course was well-prepared, setting up special rest stations for runners.
Every 3–4 kilometers along the route, there were pit stops with water, food, and mobile refreshing showers.
Mykola Kost, a veteran of the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade of Transcarpathia, shared his impressions of successfully completing the most challenging 21-kilometer distance, finishing with a time of one hour and forty minutes.
In addition to him, six other representatives of the well-known veteran movement “The Strong 300” joined the patriotic race.
“After the pandemic and the start of the full-scale invasion, the marathon was revived at a high level. The course was marked, with pit stops offering food and water every 3–4 kilometers; you could even take a quick shower along the route,” said Kost.
This was reported by a correspondent for the Ukrinform news agency.
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