More than 20,000 Athenians turned out on Sunday to take part in the 25th "Tour of Athens" which was this year dedicated to Mother's Day and the role of Greek mothers in society.
The race is organized each year by the Athens municipality and its Youth and Sports Organization ONA, with the emphasis being more on taking part than on competing.
This year's race began at 10:00 and ended at around noon, following the usual route around central streets in the capital that had been cleared of traffic for the race.
Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis made a speech at the starting point, the marble-covered Panathenian Stadium that hosted the first-ever Olympic Games of 1896, saying that the Tour of Athens had become a "cultural and athletic institution."
"This year it coincides with Mother's Day and for this reason we decided to dedicate this Tour of Athens to the Greek mother and, if you will permit me, because it is nearly a year since last year's terrible fires, to dedicate specially to the memory of that mother that was lost with her four children," Kaklamanis said.
It was flanked by various events and entertainment that ended at around 13:00. Among the highlights, the opportunity for participants to have their photograph taken with the Olympic Torch used in the Olympic Torch relay for the Beijing 2008 Games, a lottery, a concert by the Greek band "Dytikes Synoikies" and a show by the national basketball team Cheerleaders.
Source:Xinhua
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