Hong Kong Marathon organisers admit they won’t know which top overseas runners will take part until 'last minute'
‘Gold Label’ Kenyan and Ethiopian runners on flights to take part in annual extravaganza but organisers unclear who they are
Organisers of Sunday’s Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon admit that they’ll only know how many of the top overseas runners they have invited will participate once they actually arrive.
Just as in previous years, getting a confirmed start list for the runners from Kenya and Ethiopia, the top two running nations in the world that have dominated the Hong Kong marathon for years, have been a headache for organisers.
As far as the overseas runners are concerned, it won’t be until they have physically arrived in Hong Kong that I can guarantee who will be coming
William Ko Wai-lam, chairman of the organising committee, said organisers will not know who will start the race until they are in Hong Kong and the list can change “at the last minute”.
“As far as the overseas runners are concerned, it won’t be until they have physically arrived in Hong Kong that I can guarantee who will be coming,” said Ko.
“This is one of the problems we have to face. But the situation will be better this year because our marathon has been awarded Gold Label status for the first time. We have fulfilled certain IAAF [International Amateur Athletics Federation] requirements and they have awarded this to us for our 2016 marathon,” he said.
