Athletes wishing to compete in the annual Taipei Marathon can now register for the event, which will be held Dec. 18 for runners 18 years old and over, the city’s sports department said Monday.
During the registration period that lasts until Sept. 28, up to 9,000 athletes may be accepted for the marathon that will cover a 42-kilometer route from Taipei City Hall to Taipei Municipal Stadium, the department said.
Alongside that race, a half marathon will also be held on Dec. 18, and registration will open Tuesday for a maximum 19,000 runners in that event, Taipei Department of Sports Commissioner Li Tzai-li (???) said at a press conference.
One of the organizers of the annual marathon, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association (CTAA), said they intend to invite 12 foreign athletes to compete in the marathon, but those plans have not yet been finalized because of Taiwan’s mandatory quarantine requirements.
“We are aiming to invite six men and six women, but we are not sure how many will actually come,” CTAA President Yeh Chen-yen (???) told CNA.
Meanwhile, retired Taiwanese professional tennis player Lu Yen-hsun (???) said he is planning to register for the half marathon, with the simple goals of finishing the race and enjoying the event.
Last year, Ethiopian runners dominated the Taipei Marathon, with Demeke Kasaw winning the men’s race in a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 42 seconds, and Alemtsehay Asefa taking the women’s title after crossing the finish line in 2:30:44.
First held in 1986, the annual Taipei Marathon is one of the city’s major events, not just for sports but also for tourism marketing and promotion, according to the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel