Kenyans triumphed again in the "Free Spirit Run Giurgiu-Ruse"

Saturday, 05 October 2024

The runners from Kenya won the prizes in the men and women in the "Free Spirit Run Giurgiu-Ruse". The competition started today from the center of Giurgiu and ended at Svoboda Square in Ruse. A record 400 athletes took part in the seventh edition of the event, organized by the Sports Athletics Club "Danube" - Ruse and the Municipality of Ruse. Representatives of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, Kuwait, Poland, Hungary, Ireland, USA, Switzerland and Kenya competed along the 15-kilometer route.

   In the men's category, Albert Tonwi was the fastest, who covered the distance in 47 minutes and 37 seconds. Second was Hilary Kimaiu, who was 5 seconds behind the first. The third place was won by the Bulgarian representative Ismail Ssenandji. Both Kenyans come for the second time on the run. According to the winner Tonui, the most difficult section of the route is on the Danube Bridge, as there is a slight ascent on the roadway. Hilary Kimaiu said that she owes her success to her hard training. Every day he runs 25 km in the morning, at noon another 10, and in the evening between 10 km and 20 km. Borislav Rachev, deputy. – Mayor for Sports and Youth Activities in the Municipality of Ruse, congratulated the winners and presented them with medals. The athlete from Ruse Yanislav Todorov ranked in the worthy sixth place.

  The winner in the women's category was Glorius Jepkirui from Kenya, who grabbed the gold last year. Her result is 54 minutes and 7 seconds. After her ranked Valentine Jebet, also from Kenya. Bronze was awarded to the Bulgarian Marinela Nineva. The President of the Bulgarian Athletics Federation Ivan Kolev awarded the three runners. The representative of club "Dunav" - Ruse Milka Mihaylova won the eighth place and was also awarded for her success. However, she won first place in the 50 category.  The world vice-champion, medalist of European and world championships Anelia Nuneva awarded medals to the fastest athletes in this category.

Special prizes were given to the oldest participants – the 67-year-old Romanian Eugenia Emilia Paruparu and the 78-year-old Bulgarian and doyen of the run Ivan Grozev.

 The Regional Coordinator for the Municipality of Ruse at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Eleonora Gurbanova read a congratulatory address from the Minister of Youth and Sports Georgi Glushkov. Again on behalf of the Ministry and the Minister of Sports, Gurbanova presented honorary plaques to Evgeni Ignatov, chairman of the Sports Athletics Club "Danube" - Ruse, and to the Paralympian and vice-champion from Tokyo Hristiyan Stoyanov for their successes at the Paralympics in Paris.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Bulgarian Athletics Federation, its President Ivan Kolev presented an honorary jubilee medal to Anelia Nuneva, Evgeni Ignatov and Hristiyan Stoyanov. The award is also given to them for the great merits of the three to the development of Bulgarian athletics. 

 Hundreds of Ruse residents applauded the performances of the ballet "Impulse", the cheerleading team "Extreme", dance studio "Zora" at the Municipal Youth Center, of the athletes from the "Kalagia" club and of Kristian Ilkov, a graduate of the vocal studio for pop and jazz "Ikonomov". The event was also attended by Dimitar Nedev, Deputy Mayor of Ruse, Marian Damian, Deputy Mayor of Giurgiu Municipality, Deputy Governor Georgi Georgiev, Lacezar Ivanov, Director of Municipal Enterprise "Disputed Properties", Diana Ivanova, member of the Board of Directors of the International Police Association, etc.

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