SEYCHELLES ECO MARATHON ONCE AGAIN A HUGE SUCCESS
(Posted 24th February 2014)
1.465 runners participated in yesterday’s annual Seychelles Eco Marathon, run for the 7th time as its popularity has over the years grown and has every time drawn hundreds of participants from abroad, who fly to the Seychelles to participate in this key sporting event.
This year’s event featured a 5 km and a 10 km run, a half marathon and a full marathon in which 890 Seychellois and 575 runners from 35 countries participated, not counting the kids in push chairs who were brought to the event by their parents and equally completed the ‘drive’ rather than running on their own feet.
At hand at 07.00 hrs at the starting point at Beau Vallon Bay was the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture to flag off the races, showing his full support for an event which has found a firm place in the annual calendar of events organized and supported by the Seychelles Tourism Board.
Seychelles’ long distance runner Simon Labiche took the honours for the 6th time when he reached the finishing tape after 3 hours and 3.15 minutes while Swede Anneli Sodergards claimed the women’s race in 3 hours 48.30 minutes.
Mastermind and key sponsor of the marathon since 2008, Dong Chan Jeong, head of INOCEAN M&C, then hosted invited guests for a Korean Night at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Beach Resort and Casino, which doubled as prize giving ceremony. Said Minister St. Ange when commenting on the successful completion of this year’s race: ‘Cooperation between [the Sports and Tourism] Ministries continues to bring positive results for Seychelles. This Marathon event sees the consolidation of Sports Tourism for Seychelles as it brings Marathon enthusiasts from all over the world together to participate in the event they all like and appreciate. But what a better place to run a Marathon than in paradise’.
Visit www.seychelles.travel for more information on sporting and cultural events in the Seychelles, where literally every month a major festival or sporting event now takes place, adding extra attractions for visitors to the archipelago. Seychelles, truly Another World.
