Sports Bureau (ID) President Pun Weng Kun told the media yesterday at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Taipa that the runners’ performance in the 2022 Galaxy Entertainment Macao International Marathon, which was held in the morning, “was excellent”, with both the mainland and local marathoners performing “well”, and that the marathon met his bureau’s expectations.
The 41st Macao International Marathon, which was jointly organised by the Sports Bureau and the General Association of Athletics of Macau with Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) as the title sponsor, started and ended yesterday at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium.
According to a statement by the bureau on Saturday, this year’s marathon had been divided into three start times with the half-marathon and 4.5-km mini-marathon for local runners starting at 7 a.m. and 7:15 a.m., while the marathon and half-marathon for non-local participants began at 6 a.m.
Traditionally, the marathon covers 42.195 kilometres.
Regarding several runners’ complaints that the adjustment of the start time affected their performance, Pun acknowledged that considering the recent development of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the sake of everyone’s safety and the smoothness of the event, the organising committee of the race had revised the schedule. Pun said he understood that the changes in schedule would cause a slight impact on the runners but he hoped the marathoners could understand why the arrangements had been made. Pun also said the organising committee would listen to the opinions of the public and, in the future, would issue a notice concerning any changes in the schedule arrangement as soon as possible, if needed.
Pun pointed out that the international marathon was a “very good” sports tourism brand-promotion event, adding that his bureau would actively study whether there are conditions to open more spots for runners in the future. However, Pun said, as Macau has relatively narrow roads, the bureau will examine whether additional spots could be allocated depending on the actual situation.
When asked by the media if there would be a Macau International 10K race in the first half of next year, Pun said that the race was in the process of being organised and discussions were ongoing with different partners, adding he hoped that the event could promote sports tourism, and attract tourists extend their stay in Macau.
A statement by the bureau yesterday noted that Guan Yousheng and Li Meizhen from the mainland won the men’s and the women’s category of the marathon with a finishing time of 2:19.03 and 2:40:26 respectively.
Chan Kai Un and Wu Yangyang won the Macau men’s and the women’s category respectively, the statement said, adding that the Senior Trophy was won by 68-year-old Li Guihua.
About 12,000 runners competed in the event.
Marathon male winner Guan Yousheng crosses the finish line at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium yesterday morning. – Photos: Sports Bureau
Marathon female winner Li Meizhen crosses the finish line at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium yesterday morning.
Local marathon male winner Chan Kai Un talks to the media yesterday after the race.
– Photos courtesy of TDM
Local marathon female winner Wu Yangyang speaks to reporters after yesterday’s race.
