At the kick-off event, Peter Filzmaier explained how he went from being a political expert to a marathon expert: “After an accident in which both elbows were badly damaged, I was looking for a sport that, in contrast to the Skiing or tennis less affected. That’s how I got into running. Although it was the case that I ran a marathon twice. I got there. Please leave it at that…”
“Address peak and width”
On the stage, Filzmaier put all his knowledge to the test – and juggled personal bests, dates and facts about the sport. “Running makes you happy. Running is something that really anyone can do – something that can also be done anywhere.”
The head of the house, Oberbank General Director Franz Gasselsberger, also emphasized what they had in common. “This unity of the organizers has been unique for years. The marathon is simply indispensable in Upper Austria. And everyone who isn’t there makes a mistake…”
The mayor of Linz, Klaus Luger, will start in the relay. “I am pleased that it has become an incredible mass sporting event and that – as in previous years – there is a focus on women. It’s nice that we’re addressing the top and the wide with this marathon event.” OÖN editor-in-chief Susanne Dickstein emphasized what was special about the Linz marathon. “It’s about this feeling of togetherness, this shared experience. And you can feel that too, whether you’re running the marathon, half marathon or relay. Or whether you just stand on the side of the road like me and cheer on the runners.” Organizing manager Günther Weidlinger was happy about the number of participants. “We are currently at around 6000 entries for all competitions together. We are very, very satisfied with that.”
Source: Nachrichten
