The Vidovdan Road Race has been a mainstay on the calendar for two decades but it would be fair to say the event wasn’t an immediate hit when it was held in the town of Brcko for the first time since 1997.
“It was literally a heresy; we had no tradition at all,” said race director Borislav Durdevic on the fledgling status of running - be it as a recreational pursuit or a professional endeavour - in Bosnia & Herzegovina in the late 1990s.
“But for years we were persistent and now the situation is much better. We know there is a lot more in front of us and we are helping other organisers in our country to do the same as us.”
The annual 10km event has over the years become one of the most prestigious and well-known road races in the Balkans - and a template for other races to follow. The reputation of the event is further enhanced by the fact it has been given a 5-Star Quality endorsement by European Athletics Running For All.
After facing some initial adversity, the Vidovdan Road Race has prevailed against the odds to celebrate its twentieth birthday last Saturday 25 June. More than 5000 runners took part across the programme in an event which brings together runners from across the region and further afield in a symbol of Balkan solidarity.
“The race has a positive impact not only on the town of Brcko but also on the country as a whole in terms of the popularisation of athletics, recreation, healthy lifestyle and sport overall,” said Durdevic, who praises how the city has actively supported the event.
“For years we've been attracting large numbers of volunteers and the city services from municipal services, police and so on are all a part of the organisation. That means that city services and residents are completely behind the race and support us in its organisation.
“The race is followed by a large number of residents every year and we are happy to say that the race is a synonym of Brcko.”
The race has had a tangible impact on the local economy with participants arriving in numbers from nearby Croatia and Serbia but the Vidovdan Road Race is just as keen to give back. The region was decimated by heavy flooding two years ago and the organisers made sure entry fees were put towards the clean-up operation.
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And last year, funds were diverted towards another humanitarian cause: to pay for the treatment of a little girl Marija Durdic who was diagnosed with a brain tumour. After undergoing surgery in Istanbul, Durdic is making a strong recovery and she even took part in one of the kids’ races last weekend.
The event always starts with a ten metre race for babies before the kids’ races which Durdevic and his team are keen to support. With strong corporate and governmental sponsorship, the race organisers are even in a position to allow children to take part free of change.
The event is keen to promote the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle among children and the recent exploits of 800m star Amel Tuka has further captured the imagination of youngsters in the country.
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“Every good result in athletics has a very large impact on the development of the sport,” said Durdevic, who notes that eighty percent of the country’s Olympic team for Rio de Janeiro will be made up of track and field athletes.
“That is the case with the results of Amel Tuka, Lucia Kimani and other athletes who have enjoyed good results. In the eyes of all the people of Bosnia especially children, they are becoming a true sport stars.”
Next year’s edition of the Vidovdan Road Race will be held on 24 June 2017.
The European Athletics Quality Road Race standards act as an assurance for road runners throughout Europe. They distinguish between races that respect the standards and those that haven’t sought certification or assessment. They form the foundation of Running for All, a strong recognisable brand for running activities throughout Europe.
More information on Running for All:
Website: european-running4all.org
Twitter: @runningforall
Contact: running4all@european-athletics.org