• Submitted by: lena campos
• Sports
• 11 / 16 / 2013

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More than 2,800 runners, of whom 260 from 35 countries and regions, participated in the 27th edition of Marabana 2013, Havana's International Marathon.

Carlos Gattorno, Director of the Marabana-Maracuba project, said on Friday that among the participants will be Cuban expert long-distance runners like Dailin Belmonte, women's category winner of half marathon, as well as Yailen Garcia and Jorge Luis Suarez, champions in the 2012 edition.

Gattorno also informed of the return to Havana's Marathon Mariela Gonzalez, Rio de Janeiro 2007 Pan American champion, who temporarily retired due to maternity.

Marabana 2013 will be held in the traditional circuit, starting and finishing in front of Havana's Capitol and traveling along important avenues. This edition will commemorate the 494th anniversary of the foundation of Cuba's capital city, historically named as Villa de San Cristobal de La Habana (Nov. 16), as well as the Physical Culture and Sports National Day (Nov. 19).

Marabana began in 1987 and in the previous edition, 3,000 runners from 50 countries and regions participated. The winners were Cubans Yailen Garcia with a time of 2:45.27 hours in the women's category and Jorge Luis Suarez (2:23.19) in men's category.

Meanwhile, Maracuba, which is a series of races along the island, will be held on Saturday in the 168 Cuban municipalities.

Source: Globaltimes.cn