The Seaside Marathon Odesa took place, gathering around 600 participants, including veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Here’s a report from Suspilne Odesa on how it unfolded.

In the morning, participants gathered at the Sports Palace for the marathon. Around eight o'clock, they lined up at the starting line. The event kicked off with a race for individuals with disabilities in wheelchairs.

One participant, Oleksandr, shared that he completed the three-kilometer distance around Victory Park. He stated, "Our goal is to show that we are people with disabilities, just like everyone else, and we can achieve our goals. It was tough, but we made it."

Marathon runners tested their limits on distances of 5 km, 10 km, 21 km, and 42 km. Veterans also participated in a ceremonial march called "Path of the Veteran" over a distance of 100 meters. Children took part in races of 100 and 500 meters, as well as a one-kilometer run.

Hanna, who was unprepared, ran five kilometers and shared her experience: "There was snow, rain, and hail, yet we reached the finish line. Honestly, I walked a bit because running five kilometers without training is really hard."

This event was held for the second time in Odesa, according to organizer Olha Volobuyeva. This year, it attracted around 600 participants from Ukraine and abroad. All funds raised will be donated to the development of adaptive sports in the Odesa region.

The marathon route traversed the streets: Shevchenko Avenue (monument to Stepan Dzevechko) — Academic Street — Volunteer Street (formerly Marshal Hovorov Street) — Champagne Lane — Shevchenko Avenue. Traffic on these streets was restricted during the event.