The Unity Race Concluded on Sunday in Ancient Olympia
The first Unity Race concluded on Sunday, September 7, 2025, connecting places, people, and meanings along a route that began in Andritsaina and ended in Ancient Olympia.
The 48-kilometer main race started in Andritsaina, with the runners carrying the Message of Unity from village to village, following the path of the Heyday Road – the historic route that led to the Olympic Truce and the birth of the Olympic Games.
Later in the afternoon, at 6:30 p.m., the 6-kilometer race took place, starting from Linaria, giving more residents and visitors the opportunity to experience their own moment of participation and remembrance.
At both starting points, Andritsaina and Linaria, there was a brief presentation about the laurel wreaths from Sparta, which awaited each participant at the finish line as a symbol of honor and continuity of tradition.
In Andritsaina, prior to the race start, a Water Ceremony was held, a ritual linking past and present, offering athletes the element that would accompany them on their journey.
At the finish line in Ancient Olympia, each runner received their laurel wreath and a symbolic keepsake, thus closing the first circle of the Unity Race.
The closing ceremony became a moment of reflection and celebration, reaffirming the meaning of Unity and the living continuity of the race.
Throughout the day, there was live coverage and streaming via the internet from key points along the route, allowing audiences from different parts of the world to follow the race as it unfolded in real time.
The Unity Race was organized by the non-profit organization Epigonos, with the Municipality of Ancient Olympia as co-organizer, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT), and the Region of Western Greece, and held with the official support of the Hellenic Red Cross.
The first International Ultramarathon of Culture is now a reality: a space where the Promise, the Message, and Unity are not just words, but living experiences renewed through the journey itself.
