President Mustafa Akıncı was among 2,500 runners who took part in this year’s Lefkoşa Marathon on Sunday 23 Oct.
This year’s event was in aid of the Kemal Saraçoğlu Leukaemia Children and Fight Against Cancer Trust (Kemal Saraçoğlu Lösemili Çocuklar ve Kanserle Savaş Vakfı), with the President among those helping to raise money and awareness for the local charity.
It was the President’s third year as a participant in the Lefkoşa Marathon. Accompanied by his wife Meral, he completed the shortest of three categories – the 4km run. There were also 8km and 21 km races. The couple did not actually run, but walked the entire distance, stopping often to pose with those after selfies with the President.
For most, the emphasis was on participation and fun over running and racing. Some participants wore multi-coloured wigs and banged drums as they walked the streets of the city, creating a carnival atmosphere. Wheelchair users and their carers also did the course alongside families with young children, and animal lovers with their dogs.
Several politicians also took part, among them Health Minister Faiz Sucuoğlu, TDP leader Cemal Özyiğit, and LCC leader Mehmet Harmancı.
Now in its sixth year, the Lefkoşa Marathon was sponsored by mobile phone network Kuzey Kıbrıs Turkcell. The winners and runners-up of this year’s 21km race were:
Women
- Svetlana Sepeliova (1:27.12)
- Emma Ersoy (1:46.51)
- Şirin Bolkan (1:56.39)
Men
- Serdar Çetin (1:11.36)
- Murat Kaya (1:13.00)
- Eser Kurt (1:18.20)
