Despoina Simantrakou Recognized as First Greek Woman to Win Spartathlon Race

GREECE – The star athlete and Greek ultra runner, Despoina Simantrakou, has been recognized as the first woman to ever win first place in the annual Spartathlon race which took place on September 26 and 27 in Greece.
She completed the Athens to Sparta race in 24 hours, 45 minutes, and 43 seconds.

This race takes place every September in Greece, and is one of the most difficult, yet satisfying ultra-distance races in the world because of its unique history and background.

The Spartathlon revives the footsteps of Pheidippides, an ancient Athenian long-distance runner, who in 490 BC, before the battle of Marathon, was sent to Sparta to seek help in the war between the Greeks and the Persians.

According to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, Pheidippides arrived in Sparta the day after his departure from Athens. From 1984 the International Association ‘Spartathlon’ was then founded, and ever since, it has continued to host its annual September race.

Simantrakou, a 34-year-old lawyer who hails from the city of Grevena, in northern Greece, has only been long-distance running for the last decade, however after one day having the urge to go on an 8-kilometer run, she fell in love with it and then competed in a marathon where she ran 80 kilometers just 10 months later.

Her first listed race was the 20km at the Metsovo Ursa Trail in 2016, where she finished as 58th woman in 3:03:08.

Simantrakou told media publication Kathimerini that participating in the 44th year of the Spartathlon marked the third time she had taken part in the event overall.
“I didn’t expect to finish first because I had stomach issues early on in the race. Of course, that sort of thing happens to ultra-distance runners sometimes,” she said.
“I recovered during the night and gradually started pushing harder. The leader was 18 kilometers ahead of me, but little by little, I closed the gap. I have a support team to whom I owe everything.”
The Greek runner additionally explained how when she prepares for a race, she runs daily for at least two hours – starting early in the morning before she gets suited up for work.
Sharing what she loved about running, and how she has become so determined and committed to it, she explained: “To run long distances, you have to enjoy the whole process.”
“I love this lifestyle, and even more so the preparation leading up to an event. The months beforehand are magical. And in the Spartathlon, all of this is done for a laurel wreath and a bit of water from the Evrotas River. Last year, I finished second. I still haven’t fully grasped the reality of this year’s victory,” she told Kathimerini.