Challenging marathon in Anatolia completed

AFYONKARAHİSAR

Nearly 800 local and foreign athletes participated in the seventh Phrygian Ultra Marathon this year, which is one of the biggest in Turkey in terms of the size of the event, following a year paused by the pandemic.

In the marathon races organized with the support of local authorities in the Central Anatolian province of Afyonkarahisar, athletes toured in a region that was home to the first civilizations of Anatolia thousands of years ago.

Starting the competition from the Ayazini village proceeding through the mysterious Phrygian paths, the athletes reached the Bayramaliler village from the south of Lake Emre, after taking a break at the historical water potholes in Üçlerkayası village.

While the athletes had an adventurous race on 54, 22, 12, and six-kilometer-long natural tracks, the event ended with a symbolic two-kilometer run around Afyonkarahisar Castle.

Turkish athletes Özlem Işık and İremcan Ayaz came first in the 54-kilometer race, which is the longest track of the marathon, and was awarded trophies.