ATHENS, March 18 -- Local athlete Konstantinos Gelaouzos wrote the new record of the Athens Half Marathon on Sunday as he crossed the finish line in front of the Greek parliament in 1:08:30.

The course recorder holder marginally improved the event's best time, but failed to achieve the 1:07:40 threshold needed to qualify for the European Athletics Championships in Berlin this August.

The center of the Greek capital flooded on Sunday with thousands of runners participating in the seventh edition of the Athens Half Marathon, the largest sports event of the spring here.

About 25,000 professional and amateur runners of all ages joined in the fun this year, organizers of the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) and the municipality of Athens said.

The annual sports event, which is held also under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), aims to promote a healthier lifestyle and an image of Athens which will attract more foreign visitors throughout the year.

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