88-year-old runner completes world’s oldest marathon race
At 88, Ploutarchos Pourliakas proved that age is no barrier to determination, by completing the 41st edition of the ‘Authentic Marathon of Athens’ in 6 hours and 31 minutes.
"I achieved to finish and even improved on last year," Pourliakas said, moments after the finishing line, as his family and grandchildren cheered and congratulated him. This year he completed the race 18 minutes faster than last year. "I feel younger than my 88 years" he said, reflecting on his achievement.
Inspired by his son, an ultramarathoner, he took up running in his hometown, Kastoria, in northern Greece, at the age of 73. This marks his twelfth time completing the iconic 42.195 kilometer race (26.21 mile) from the Tomb of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium.
As he says, people often don’t believe his age when they see him running a marathon, but he responds with, "Why wouldn’t you believe it? We all can do it. As long as we want to."
REUTERS VIDEO
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