(ΑΝΑ-ΜPA) -- The countdown for Sunday's long-awaited Athens Marathon has begun, with preparations underway in and around the Greek capital on Friday, as international attention has surged this week on the occasion of the 2,500th anniversary of the eponymous Battle of Marathon.
Start time is at 9 a.m. (07:00GMT) on Sunday just outside the modern-day community of Marathon (east of Athens proper), with the first world-class runners expected to reach the all-marble Panathinaiko Stadium in central Athens after roughly 11:10 a.m.
A five- and 10-kilometre race will be run concurrently with the classical Marathon.
A record number of participants are expected for this year's race, including several international personalities and increased media attention.
