Filipino Community in Istanbul in Runs 44th Istanbul Marathon in Full Force
Philippine Ambassador to Türkiye Maria Elena Algabre and Consul Arvin de Leon led the Filipino participants. (Istanbul PCG photos)
ISTANBUL, 10 November 2022 – The Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul spearheaded the participation of over 100 members of the Filipino community in Istanbul and other parts of Türkiye in the 8K Public Run segment of the 44th Istanbul Marathon held on Sunday, 06 November 2022.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu officially signaled the start of the Public Run which drew around 30,000 participants. It started from the Altunizade Bridge in the Asian side of Istanbul and ended in front of the iconic Dolmabahce Palace in the European side of the city.
Unique for being the only inter-continental marathon in the world, this year’s edition attracted a total of over 60,000 runners from all over the globe, half of whom competed in the 15K and 42K races.
The Filipino runners showed much enthusiasm during the event, especially at the start of the race when they were acknowledged by the event organizers. They had the chance to engage with other race participants and some of them were interviewed along the way by mainstream Turkish media. The activity was also a first for many Filipinos, some of whom have been living in Istanbul for 30 years or more.
After the race, the runners joined a salo-salo with Filipino dishes shared by the Philippine Consulate General and various Filipino organizations. The Philippine Consulate General envisioned the activity as a way to enhance camaraderie and promote a healthy lifestyle among members of the Filipino community in İstanbul. It is also aimed at heightening the profile of Filipinos as productive and active residents of Türkiye’s biggest city. END
Various officials of the İstanbul City Government signaled the official start of the run. (Istanbul PCG photo)
Filipino runners posing in one of the 3 bridges that cross the Bosphorus Strait. (Istanbul PCG photo)
Filipino participants in the 8K Public Run celebrate after reaching the finish line. (Istanbul PCG photo)
For more information, visit https://istanbulpcg.dfa.gov.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinIstanbul/.