Chemnitz on the move - thousands run for culture

Around 8,350 athletes took part in the European Capital of Culture Marathon in Chemnitz. "We are overwhelmed by the response - and by the fact that the combination of culture and sport worked so well," said a spokesperson for Sparkasse Chemnitz, which organized the event. Runners from nine nations competed at various distances - from the marathon to the quarter marathon.

Start and finish area was the market square, the route led past well-known places such as the Schlossteich, the Marx Monument, Theaterplatz and Villa Esche. The event took place as part of the Capital of Culture year under the motto "Running Culture".

Musical accompaniment from "the longest stage in the world"

The musical accompaniment was special: around 200 musicians, choirs and DJs transformed the running route into what the organizers described as the "longest stage in the world". German marathon champion Samuel Fitwi also took part - although not over the full distance. He used the race as casual training and only completed the quarter marathon.

The longest journey was made by a pair of runners from Ottawa in Canada. Other participants came from Great Britain, Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, among others.