LIMASSOL, CYPRUS

One of the 26.2 Foundation’s goals is to expand Hopkinton’s marathon footprint by building close connections with the international running community.

Foundation president Tim Kilduff made a special visit to Limassol, Cyprus, not long ago where, as a guest of the city, he began work with Mayor Nico Nicolaides to establish a formal relationship between Hopkinton and Limassol. If finalized, the sister-city relationship with Limassol will be Hopkinton’s second such alliance, joining the sister-city bond with Marathon, Greece, established in 2006.

While visiting, Kilduff reprised his role as color commentator for the Boston Marathon, helping to call the 13th Limassol Marathon, a race dedicated to Greek marathoner Stylianos Kyriakides.

It was Kyriakides who, against all odds, won the 1946 Boston Marathon and, in so doing, brought awareness and aid to war-ravaged Greece. Kyriakides, represented in the ‘Spirit of the Marathon’ statue at Mile 1 of the Boston course, was born in Cyprus, and trained for the ‘46 Boston Marathon in Limassol.