Swimming Race In Waters Dividing Europe, Asia

Over a thousand swimmers took part in the 24th Bosphorus Intercontinental Swimming Race on Sunday, thrashing across the Istanbul seaway which marks the traditional boundary between Asia and Europe.Sunday’s event was attended by professional and amateur swimmers, from various ages and nationalities.Organisers said they saw a spike in attendees from other countries.Turkish swimmer Hasan Emre Musluoglu took first place. Olympic gold medallist Mark Spitz was in attendance, awarding the winners their trophies. Spitz said he was backing Turkey’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games. The Bosphorus Cross-continental Races are organized under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee. When this event started in 1989, it was apparently participated by 4 female and 64 male athletes but has since grown to become an important part of the Turkish sports tradition. <Cihan News Agency>

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