"This Marathon is meant to symbolize the unity of two fraternal Slavic peoples. I am happy that we have overcome all the difficulties and have accomplished our Marathon today," said one of the participants, Nedelko Todorovic.
The athletes spent 16 days in the race, having covered 2,500 kilometers, with an average of 100-200 kilometers a day.
In front of the Savior Cathedral, the racers were welcomed by Serb embassy and Moscow government officials and Kosovo children staying now in Moscow. Souvenirs were given by Alexey Ageev, deputy chairman of the Moscow government's sports committee.
"On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the V-Day, the Moscow government has organized an extensive sports program and your race is one of the highlights," Ageev said at an award-giving ceremony.
The group of Serb racers was accompanied by Serbia's Princess Liza Karageorgevic, who said: "My son Georgy Karageorgevic, a military cadet, was among the racers. I could hardly bear to watch them running, to say nothing of running myself. I can't realize how they have finally managed to cover that distance. It is for the first time that I am in Moscow and I like it a lot. The Marathon route ran across the territories of Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Belarus and Russia and everywhere we met a heartfelt welcome."
The ceremony wound up with an improvised concert on the steps of the Saviour cathedral: Serb children dressed in national costumes performed Russian and Serb folk songs under the guidance of renowned actress Ivana Zhigon.
