The Macao International Marathon proved a triumph for mainlanders Yang Shaohui and Zhang Deshun who won the men’s and the women’s categories respectively. While Yang finished the race in 2:13.04, Zhang clocked up 2:29.09.
Chan Kai Un and Wu Yangyang won the Macao men’s and the women’s category respectively. The Senior Trophy was won by 72-year-old Mak Hang Chi.
Next year’s Macao International Marathon could have more places, given the immense popularity of Sunday’s race, Sports Bureau President Pun Weng Kun has said.
Pun noted that this year’s marathon had 12,000 runners, adding that there was a high percentage of participants from the mainland, showing that the 2021 Galaxy Entertainment Macao International Marathon has been recognised as an important sporting event.
This year’s marathon required runners to have two shots of the Covid-19 vaccines 14 days prior to the competition and display a valid negative nucleic acid test result. Pun also pointed out that even though Covid-19 prevention and control measures were implemented during the marathon, many participants said that the whole process ran more smoothly compared to last year. He also underlined that the bureau had listened to athletes’ feedback and gave last year’s local winner a place at the front at the start.
The 42.195 kilometre race, which started and finished at Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Taipa and took in the Governor Nobre de Carvalho and Sai Van bridges and passed by A-Ma Temple.
The 2021 Galaxy Entertainment Macao International Marathon, jointly organised by the Sports Bureau and the General Association of Athletics of Macao and title-sponsored by Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) started at 6 am yesterday morning, The Macau Post Daily reported.
