An old flame turns up for 21st birthday

The torch relay was greeting by cheering crowds in Belgrade this week, prior to the annual marathon on Saturday. No, no that torch! But this one also came from Greece, not from Olympia, but from the home of the marathon, ie Marathon itself. This torch is an initiative of the Association of International Marathons (AIMS) and Makis Asimakopoulos, new director of the Athens Classic Marathon, which takes place in November. "We want to emphasise the origins of the marathon race, and give a new dimension to our colleagues' marathon races abroad," said Asimakopoulos.

Neighbouring Belgrade was the first recipient in Europe – Xiamen in China was the first, for the AIMS annual congress. The flame was flown from Athens to Nikola Tesla Airport, 20 kilometres outside Belgrade, and relayed into the city, where citizens of the Serbian capital turned out in force to see last year's Belgrade women's winner, Olivera Jevtic, and 1956 Olympic silver medallist – and former winner of the Athens Marathon – Franjo Mihalic deliver it to the City Hall.

As for the problems that other torch is having, Athens director, Asimakopoulos at least had a funny story to tell. He is currently in Boston, for Monday's race, and he has taken another torch with him. But when he advised the authorities at Frankfurt Airport – where he was changing planes – that he would be bringing the marathon torch, they went into a tail-spin. They thought it was the other torch!

So to Saturday's Belgrade Banca Intesa Marathon. That the race has reached its 21^st edition is thanks to the tenacity and diplomacy of race director, Dejan Nikolic and close colleague, Alexander Marinkovic. Despite the race being just about the only good news to come out of Serbia in the last 15 years, they have had a constant battle with some local politicians, who would rather see the race founder, due to rivalries and pretty jealousies. But new acting mayor, Zoran Alimpic threw Saturday's race a lifeline last week, when he assured city backing for the first time in a decade.

Principal contenders in the men's race, chasing the course record of 2.10.54 by Japhet Kosgei two years ago are Kenyan colleagues, Joseph Mbithi and Jonathan Kipsaina, from the same training group as last week's dominant London winner, Martin Lel. Two other Kenyans making their marathon debut, Bernard Ngetich and Matthew Bungei are expected to do well. And former local junior star, and winner of the half-marathon here, Janko Bensa returns from exile in the USA for his first marathon on home soil.

Jevtic, who injured herself badly when winning the marathon last year, has opted for the ‘half' this time. Which should leave a straight fight between Eunice Chelagat of Kenya and Tatiana Perepelkina of Russia in the women's marathon.