FIRST TIME EVER – ZATOPEK’S GOLDEN RUNNING WEEK TAKES PLACE IN PRAGUE – REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN
Prague, 11th April, 2012: This year’s 60th anniversary of Emil Zatopek’s gold medal winning runs at the Helsinki Olympics was a strong incentive for SC MARATHON PLZEŇ, the organizers of the annual Zatopek’s Golden Week running series that commemorate the Czech Republic’s Olympic hero, Emil Zatopek, to organize the races in Prague this year. The organizers have also announced today that the registrations are now officially open on the event’s new website: www.zatopek2012.cz.
Zatopek’s Golden Week is a series of running races that celebrate the three gold medals won by Emil Zatopek at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952: the 10K, the 5K, and the Marathon. These races take place in a different Czech town each year, on exactly the same dates as Zatopek’s victories. To commemorate this special anniversary, however, this year’s series will take place in Prague and will coincide with the opening of the London Olympics 2012.
Vlastimil Sroubek, the organizer of the Zatopek Golden Week commented:
”This is a very special year for sport in general, and by bringing this celebration of Emil Zatopek to Prague, we are aiming to address a much wider audience than usual in order to honor one of the greatest long distance runners in history. We want everyone to be aware of Zatopek’s significance to athletics and, in particular, the Czech Republic, not just as a phenomenal athlete but also as a huge personality. At the same time, we want to bring the spirit of the Olympics to Prague, and to allow every participant to feel like an Olympian!”
The first individual race, Zatopek´s Golden 10K, will take place on Friday, 20th July, 2012 and will be held on the track at MV Sports Center in Stromovka Park. The second race of the series, also held in the MC Sports Center, is Zatopek´s Golden 5K on Tuesday, 24th July, 2012. The week will finish with the much-anticipated Zatopek´s Golden Marathon on the evening of Friday, 27th July, 2012.
This year, the organizers want to accommodate a larger number of runners of different fitness levels and have therefore decided to incorporate accompanying races during the main marathon race, including a half marathon, and half marathon and marathon relays. All runs start in the late afternoon to avoid the potentially hot summer weather; however, the organizers are aware that taking part in the races could be physically very demanding and ask all participants to prepare thoroughly.
Everyone taking part, whether runners, sponsors or spectators, can look forward to a fantastic accompanying evening event on the 27th July, as the opening ceremony for the London Olympics will be taking place that afternoon. The ceremony is planned to be broadcast live on a big screen located in the start and finish area of the marathon races in the Vystaviste Holesovice Exhibition Grounds, plus there will be an evening of on-stage entertainment, celebrity appearances and many other attractions.
The Patrons of the event are Ms Dana Zatopkova and the Mayor of Prague, Doc. MUDr. Bohuslav Svoboda, CSc. The event is supported by Prague 7, the Czech Athletic Federation as well as the Czech Olympic Committee.
For more information visit: www.zatopek2012.cz
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Contact:
SC MARATHON PLZEŇ
Vlastimil Sroubek
Straznicka 20, 323 00 Pilsen
tel: +420 776 842 160, +420 608 876 699
Email: [email protected]
Media Agency
JWA Prague s.r.o.
Zdenka Haraslinova
Slezska 63, 130 00 Prague 3
tel: 420 242 454 740
email: [email protected]
Notes to Editors:
SC MARATHON PLZEŇ
Since 2008, SC MARATHON PLZEN has been the organiser of a series of running events entitled the Grand Prix of Long Distance Runners to honor the Czech Republic’s best long-distance runner in history and the Olympic winner Emil Zátopek. Zatopek’s Golden Week is a part of this series.
JWA Prague
JWA Prague became the marketing and PR agency of Zatopek’s Golden Week after many years of experience working as the communication agency for some of the biggest sporting projects in the Czech Republic, including the series of races organised by Prague International Marathon (“PIM”). In 2010, JWA was shortlisted in the ‘Best PR Campaign in Sport’ category of the European Excellence Awards for its work with Prague International Marathon. JWA Prague cooperates with numerous sport and music clients, but also works with many others in the hospitality and corporate sectors.
