Welcome autumn with a run
Run the legendary route from Devín Castle to the centre of Bratislava
Who can brag of overtaking the Olympic champion? This possibility will be available to anyone who stands at the start of “Malý Devín” on Sunday, October 9th, at 10 a.m. on the approximately 2.5 km line from the Lanfranconi Bridge to the centre of Bratislava.
In this competition, which is a part of the National Run Devín – Bratislava, the 50 kilometre race walk Olympic winner from 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics Matej Tóth will also be presented. The participants of the “Little Devin” will thus face a unique challenge called “Overtake the Olympic Winner Matej Tóth”. So if you want to pride that you got the scalp of an Olympic winner, you have a chance at the oldest athletic event in Slovakia.
The run from underneath the Devín Castle to Propeler links top athletes with amateur runners who enjoy the motion. Track records are not recorded here, the goal is the running itself.
From Devín, the event was first run in 1921, making it the oldest road run and the oldest athletic event in Slovakia. The first years experienced only a few runners and thousands of enthusiastic spectators. The premiere edition had only 37 participants, of which 21 runners successfully reached the finish. Over time, number of runners increased, although the event had a number of breaks in the period of 1940s to 1960s. Since 1971 it has been held regularly and in 1976 women participated in the run for the first time.
For Bratislava, running from Devín to the centre of Bratislava was always a big event. If not a single year had been missed since the foundation, the number of editions would have exceeded a hundred. Three decades with “big” Devín, the organizer organizes a short distance “little” Devín for pupils and recreational runners to promote running as a natural physical activity available to all.
The National Run is specific in that its participants are great runners belonging to the top of the world of athletics, along with thousands of amateur runners, for whom this race is the only one in the year in which they participate for some kind of running honour.
The number of participants has risen rapidly in recent years. From 2008, when 2 108 runners participated, through 5 216 runners in 2011 to the historically highest number of 6 696 runners in 2017. These numbers testify to the increase in the general popularity of running as a physical activity and the event itself.
The organizer of the national course Devín – Bratislava in the length of 11.5 km is STaRZ, i.e. the Administration of Physical Education and Recreational Facilities of Bratislava. Competitors are categorized according to the year of birth. Traditionally, the first three fastest men and the first three fastest women in 12 of the 13 competition categories will be rewarded. They will receive a trophy and material prizes. Prizes are not awarded for mixed category of recreational runners from 16 years of age.
Winners in the absolute order of the main race will receive a financial reward. The fastest man and the fastest woman with Slovak nationality will also receive the award. Winners in the team competition will receive material prizes. The announcement of the results and the award ceremony will take place on the day of the event at approximately 12:15 p.m. at Hviezdoslav Square.
Whether you like to break your personal record or just want to enjoy the unforgettable atmosphere of the oldest athletic and sporting event in Slovakia, you will have the opportunity on the second Sunday in October.
