The city of Odesa recently hosted the Seaside Marathon, an event celebrating athleticism and community spirit. This year, approximately 600 individuals participated, including veterans of armed conflicts. Here's a report from Suspilne Odesa.

Early in the morning, participants gathered near the Sports Palace, ready to take on the challenge. Around 8 AM, they lined up at the starting line, with individuals with disabilities on wheelchairs leading the race.

Among the participants was Alexander, who completed a three-kilometer route around Victory Park. He shared, "Our goal is to show that we are people with disabilities, just like everyone else, and we can achieve our goals. It was tough, but we did it."

Participants had the choice of running distances of 5 km, 10 km, 21 km, and 42 km. Additionally, war veterans participated in a ceremonial march called "Veteran's Path" covering 100 meters, while children raced in 100 and 500-meter events, as well as a one-kilometer run.

Hanna, who ran five kilometers without prior training, shared her experience: "There was snow, rain, and hail, but we made it to the finish line. Honestly, I walked a bit because running five kilometers without preparation is quite challenging."

This event is being held in Odesa for the second time, according to organizer Olga Volobuyeva. This year, it attracted around 600 participants from Ukraine and abroad. All funds raised will be directed towards the development of adaptive sports in the region.

The marathon route traversed the streets of Shevchenko Avenue, Academic Street, Volunteers Street, and Champagne Lane. Traffic was restricted in these areas during the event.