„Trace for the People“ foundation supported the 32nd start of Bulgarian capital’s top sporting event – Sofia Marathon 2015, which was held on October 4th, 2015 and boasted a record-breaking number of participants – a total of 3,800 athletes from Bulgaria and abroad. The event was chosen as part of the official programme of Sofia – European Capital of Sport 2018 in the spirit of the campaign for promoting sports for healthy and active lifestyle.
A special siren signalled the beginning of the long-awaited sports event, having become one of the city symbols. The mayor Yordanka Fandakova, a co-chair of the organising committee of Sofia – European Capital of Sport 2018, Krasen Kralev, Minister of Youth and Sports, and Stefka Kostadinova, President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, welcomed the participants, acknowledging that the Marathon was becoming more attractive and prestigious. Their words were corroborated by the increasing interest in the event, as well as by the fact that the start, scheduled for October 9th, 2016, would serve as Balkan Championship and for the first time in history the champions would be determined among the best athletes on the peninsula. The Bulgarian and foreign participants unanimously agreed that the 32nd Sofia Marathon was at the level of the elite world marathon races.
It was then and there – at the Vassil Levski National Stadium, when Mrs. Fandakova first announced the good news that Sofia had been chosen as the European Capital of Sport 2018. She expressed her gratitude to those who had supported the initiative and specially thanked the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the face of Minister Krasen Kralev, as well as Stefka Kostadinova.
Tens of thousands of Sofians greeted the athletes along the race route which meandered through some of the capital’s prettiest and greenest streets and boulevards. The audience participated in a multitude of games and quizzes at the starting and finishing lines of the event.
The first to cover the classic distance of 42.195 km and win the laurel wreath among men was Ethiopian Samuel Demie who crossed the finish line, clocking in at 2:16.40 hours. In the women’s group, fastest was Rebecca Korir (Kenya) with a record of Marathon Sofia and personal best of 2: 32.35 hours. All competitors who completed the 20 km and 42.195 km distance were awarded medals.