Tbilisi Marathon to Take Place in City Center

TBILISI - The Georgian capital Tbilisi will host ifs fifth annual marathon on October 23 as hundreds of runners gather on the city’s main thoroughfare Rustaveli Avenue to take part in the event.

Organized by German building company Heidelbergcement, the race will include a 21-kilometer half marathon, a 500-meter Kids Run for children ages 6-11 and a 100-meter sprint for 12-15-year-olds. 

Held under the aegis of the Tbilisi Municipality, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the German Embassy in Georgia, the event hopes to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise funds for at-risk children, said Michael Hampel, the General Director of Heidelbergcement in the Caucasus.

All proceeds for the event will be donated the Children’s Hospice in Georgia.

The Tbilisi Marathon managed to raise 24,000 GEL ($10,200) last year, which was matched and doubled to 48,000 GEL ($20,400) by Heidelbergcement.

The funds were spent on rehabilitation of special care center for people with disabilities in Rustavi, an industrial city south of Tbilisi.

The final part of today’s conference consisted of a presentation and a summary made by Nika Jinjikhadze - Tbilisi Marathon project manager who spoke about the results of the Tbilisi Marathon 2015, and the positive tendencies and outcomes the event is showing so far.

Registration for the Tbilisi Marathon will remain open until October 22. 

By Nino Gugunishvili

Edited by Nicholas Waller