A new chapter in the history of domestic marathons is set to open this October. The marathon event for the 106th National Sports Festival, to be held in Busan, is the main event. With the full course confirmed to run across the upper deck of the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, starting from the Busan Asiad Main Stadium, a marathon race that runs over the sea for the first time in Korea has been organized.
The course, which was recently finalized by the Busan Metropolitan City after an on-site inspection and distance measurement by the Korea Association of Athletics Federations, is a 42.195km full course that starts at the Asiad Main Stadium, passes through downtown Dongnae, Wondong IC, the upper deck of the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, and then returns to the starting point via Pukyong National University, Beomnaegol Intersection, and Busan City Hall. This is similar to the marathon course during the 2002 Busan Asian Games, but with a major difference in that the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, which officially opened in 2003, is included in the course.
While more than 10 marathon events have been held in Busan, it has been difficult to find a full 42.195km course. In the past, there was a full course event hosted by a local newspaper company, but it was shortened to a half course about 10 years ago. For this reason, local marathon clubs are actively asking the Busan Metropolitan City and related organizations to hold this newly certified course as a future event for the general public as well.
This National Sports Festival marathon race will begin at 8 a.m. on October 19, and about 100 elite male and female athletes registered in cities and provinces will participate. Public participation is not allowed. While major events such as the Seoul Marathon and Chuncheon Marathon have included running on bridges over rivers, this is the first time running on the sea. This will be recorded as a new attempt for a domestic marathon event, and with its unique course that takes advantage of the characteristics of Busan, a beautiful coastal city, it is attracting attention not only from the participating athletes but also from the entire marathon community.
This event is expected to be more than just a race and serve as an opportunity to promote the city's charm as a sports event utilizing the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, a symbol of Busan. Furthermore, if this course develops into a regular civic marathon event, as wished by local marathon clubs, Busan will have the potential to grow into a global maritime marathon city beyond Korea.
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