Starting this year, the only Nordic skiers receive cash prizes in Stockholm Marathon.
- It will kill the Stockholm Marathon, says the former middle distance runner Rizak Dirshe to expressen.se.
Not since 2001 has a Nordic skiers won the marathon in Stockholm. They won the Swede Anders Szalkai. To stimulate Nordic long run it was decided that the prize pool totaling SEK 250 000 shall inure solely runners from the Nordic countries.
Dirshe think it is the wrong way to go.
- It is absurd. The Nordic guys and girls who want to run fast, how will they do it? Then there must be competition, says Dirshe who do not believe that any foreign star will, because they do not have anything to compete for more than honor.
Press chief Lorenzo Nesi:
- Would I be kenyan I would not go to Stockholm, it is completely useless, he says to Expressen.
Anders Albertsson, Secretary General of the Swedish Athletics Association, welcomed the decision.
- We have wanted to introduce a Nordic international and decided to put a lot of resources that you have put on the prize money on that piece in place. As head of Swedish development I see it as a commendable in Swedish runners will be able to compete internationally.