The modern way of doing sport has become a phenomenon of the 20th century. Today, the unstoppable development of sport is still highly dynamic.
The marathon is one such athletics phenomenon. As early as the first, restored, modern Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896 that supported the ideas of Pierre de Coubertin, this most prestigious running discipline suggested the position it would gradually take over time. It was the marathon that managed to connect, through a unique arch, antiquity and modern times. To acquaint people with the story of brave Pheidippides, who set out to spread the news of victory and the resulting peace.
Following its premiere in Athens, the Olympic flame also gradually began to burn in other cities. In 1924 Paris hosted the Games for the second time. It is somewhere here that we can trace the events which eventually led to the birth of the famous tradition of the Košice marathon.
In addition to a testimony to the excellent talents and performance of sportspeople from all over the world, the past 100 years have also brought forth another piece of knowledge. The exceptional ardour and passion of many generations of natives of Košice, who, despite all the turbulent events and society-wide changes, have always managed to proudly keep the flag of this iconic event raised. They have demonstrated that the spread of concepts of friendship, tolerance and mutual help can be unstoppable, through a chivalric sports competition, even in our everyday life.
Branislav Koniar
