The 19 km International Šabac Swim Marathon will be held on August 6th the river Sava in the Serbian city of Šabac.

The Race of Peace started in 1984 where an international field starts in Jarak and finishes at Šabac’s Stari Grad. The event is held in memory of The Blood March.

In 1941, 4,000 people from Šabac ran 22 km to the German concentration camp in Jarak village under the threat of death. Anyone who stumbled along this road was murdered. However, many survived due to the heroism of the local people of Jarak who risked their lives and gave the escapees water and food along the route.

As a sign of gratitude, the people from Šabac built a memorial fountain where the words, “For love, brotherhood and water” was written.

Milorad Rajšić led a group of athletes to establish the event in August. In 1970, a group of young men from Šabac competed swimming down the river Sava Beach. The next year, six students from Šabac organized a competition that included one foreigner, a Dutch swimmer Ate Sikes Frans. The symbolism of the participation of one foreigner was not missed by the students.

For more information on the August 6th event, visit www.sabacswimmarathon.org

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