Sports | 34th International Marathon to allow 2,000 more entrants

The annual Macau International Marathon is scheduled to return on December 6 this year, with new passing points, along with two thousand more runners, to be added to the routes.
In light of increasing demand from athletes hoping to participate in the event, the organizer has decided to raise the participant limit to 8,000. The president of the Macao Sport Development Board, José Tavares, assured media at a press conference yesterday that the increase in runners would not cause problems on the track, as course routes have been carefully adjusted after thorough consideration.
“Of course, there are many construction works underway along the track, and many vehicles. We will add further new attractions when the Light Rail Transit construction has been completed,” he said.
According to the chairman of the General Association of Athletics of Macau, Ma Iao Hang, registration for the past several editions of the marathon has also filled to capacity prior to the application deadline.
“With society becoming more aware of living quality and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, more and more long-­distance runners have emerged,” said Mr Ma. “This international track competition event in Macau, after over three decades’ worth of effort and improvement, has become an event in which both domestic and overseas runners desire to participate.”
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the induction of the city’s historic center into the UNESCO World Heritage list, this year’s marathon and half marathon courses will specially include the heritage-listed A Ma Temple. Moreover, runners will enter the underwater tunnel in Cotai to reach the University of Macau’s Hengqin Campus for the first time.
“And in the afternoon of the same day, the city will stage the ‘Parade through Macao, Latin City,’ where the athletes – apart from enjoying the competition – can experience Macau’s unique combination of tourism, culture and sports,” said Tavares.
The marathon, half marathon and “mini-marathon” courses will start from the Macau Stadium between 6 a.m. and 6.15 a.m. Runners on the marathon and half marathon courses are required to run across the Sai Van Bridge and complete routes that span from the A Ma Temple on the Macau Peninsula to the Cotai Strip.
Champions and new record-holders will be offered cash prizes totaling MOP1.496 million. To ensure smooth operation of the event, the organizer has also increased the number of assisting personnel from 700 to 1,000. In addition, training sessions will be organized in order to help the public participating prepare for the courses in the correct manner.