The second edition of the European Week of Sport was officially opened in the Slovakian city of Kosice which is also the 'European City of Sport' on Saturday 10 September.
Among the special guests in Kosice was the Commissioner of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport on the European Commission Tibor Navracsics who was given the duty of starting a special 4.2km fun run.
A total of 1150 runners of all ages and abilities toed the start-line in downtown Kosice for the fun run which was dubbed the Kosice Marathon Warm Up Run.
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The Slovakian city plays host to one of the oldest road races in the world - and the oldest big city marathon in Europe. The Kosice Peace Marathon takes place for the 93rd time on 2 October and the event was duly awarded the European Fair Play Plaque of Merit by the European Fair Play Movement.
Slovakia is one of 22 nations actively endorsing European Week of Sport and the Kosice Marathon Warm Up Run is one of 132 road races to sign up for the week-long event designed to encourage people of all ages and levels of fitness to #BeActive.
“It is great news that our Member Federations and hundreds of event organisers have responded for a second time to the European Week of Sport challenge and helped to promote the #BeActive message across Europe,” said European Athletics Vice President Jean Gracia.
“Several of the road races that are part of this year’s European Week of Sport have also been certified by European Athletics Running for All demonstrating just one of the ways athletics can contribute to healthier lifestyles for people of all ages and that athletics is truly Your Sport for Life,” he added.
One of the biggest events to participate in the European Week of Sport was the Copenhagen Half Marathon on 18 September and the organisers spread the message nationwide by staging a series of parkrun-inspired “GoRun” events across Denmark.
Other events to have already staged events in conjunction with European Week of Sport include the Budapest Half Marathon - the biggest half marathon in Eastern Europe with over 16,000 competitors taking part - and the Vilnius Marathon which staged a well-attended kids’ run designed to engage children of the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle.
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