Annual sporting event causes road closures and traffic detours.

The 21st edition of the Maratona di Roma takes place at 08.50 on Sunday 22 March.

There are almost 15,500 athletes from 110 different countries registered for the race, which begins and ends at the Colosseum.

Over 8,300 Italian runners are taking part, and the foreign country best represented is France, with 1,512 athletes participating.

The 2015 race features 42 runners who have taken part in each of the 20 previous editions while the most senior athlete running this year is 86-year-old Italian Angelo Squadrone.

The best-known international names to look out for this year include Kenyans John Kipkorir Komen and Peter Chesang Kurui, Ethiopians Teshome Gelana Etana and Habtamu Assefa Wakeyo, and the Moroccan Mustapha El Aziz.

The time limit for crossing the finish line is seven hours, and anyone who fails to reach the halfway mark within three and a half hours will be required to give up. Those who last the distance however will be rewarded with a medal, a goody bag and a foil wrap to stay warm.

In addition to the main event there is the non-competitive “Stracittadina” 5-km fun run in the Circo Massimo area.

The marathon will result in numerous traffic diversions and street closures, for full details see the Muoversi a Roma website. >

For more details see the marathon website: