Record number of U.S. runners register for Havana marathon

Around 600 people from the United States have registered to participate in the 29th edition of the Havana Marathon, known as the Marabana, announced the organizers on Saturday.

"567 runners from the U.S. have officially registered. A record number for such events," Carlos Gattorno, the president of the Marabana's organizing committee told Havana-based radio station Radio Rebelde

Gattorno said that a strong movement of marathon runners from Boston lead the U.S. delegation which represents almost half of the total 1,463 runners from 60 countries that have registered for the race.

There are also 107 Mexicans, 97 Italians, 80 Germans, 73 Spanish, 71 French, 55 Danish and 44 Brazilians registered to participate, according to Gattorno.

Runner Richer Perez is among the registered athletes. The Cuban won the marathon title in the Panamerican Games held in Toronto in July.

Athletes who meet the required times and points in this marathon will be granted tickets to compete in the 42 kilometres and 195 metres (26.2 miles) race at the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In the last edition of the Marabana, 80 runners from the United States participated. At the time, this figure was the highest amount of runners from the U.S. since the marathon's creation back in 1986. Endit