2024 Paris Olympics Qualifiers... Registration Open Until 26th
Partial Traffic Restrictions on July 14 at Wolmyeong Sports Complex and Course
Gunsan City in Jeonbuk is making swift preparations for the successful hosting of the '2024 Gunsan Saemangeum International Marathon,' one of the six major Korean international marathon events.
According to the city on the 18th, the international marathon, featuring top domestic elite athletes, marathon enthusiasts from Korea and abroad, and citizens, will be held at Wolmyeong Sports Complex on the 14th of next month. The event includes three categories: full marathon (42.195 km), 10 km, and 5 km.
This year’s event also serves as the national selection trial for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Participants will run through the heart of Gunsan, passing by modern cultural heritage sites and enjoying the scenic views of Geumgang Lake.
The marathon began as a domestic event in 2004 and has gained popularity among both domestic and international enthusiasts. It has been promoted as an international event since 2012 and is now in its 10th edition. The city is conducting thorough preparations, including coordination meetings with related organizations and progress reporting sessions.
To ensure participant safety and minimize inconvenience to citizens, the city is closely cooperating with related organizations and groups to manage the main roads and course maintenance, promote traffic control, and push for a successful event. Preparations are in full swing.
There have also been changes to the side events. Participants will receive Gunsan Love Gift Certificates as souvenirs. Many visitors from across the country will use these certificates to enjoy the flavors and charms of Gunsan. This is expected to significantly contribute to revitalizing the local economy and tourism through tourist spending.
Booths within the event venue will be used as a festival space where participants, tourists, and citizens can come together. The venue will showcase various attractions of Gunsan, including a promotional hall, a photo zone for commemorating memories, food stalls, and experience booths.
In addition to individual and group participation, unique categories have been added to broaden the range of applicants. These include awards for the team with the largest number of participants among local elementary schools (schools, academies, gyms, etc.), a 10 km team competition for youth (middle and high school) in teams of five, a 10 km mixed-gender team competition in teams of ten, the 2024 Lucky Prize, and the Best Content Award for SNS hashtag posts.
Anyone interested in participating, regardless of age or gender, can register through the official website by the 26th. For more details, inquiries can be made via the event website or the event secretariat.
A city official stated, "Since a large number of people will participate, we are thoroughly preparing with safety as the top priority and minimizing inconvenience to citizens through close collaboration with related departments and organizations. We ask for citizens’ active participation to make this city’s representative sports event a festive occasion."
Meanwhile, due to the event, traffic around the starting point at Wolmyeong Sports Complex and along the course will be partially restricted on the 14th (Sunday) from 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Citizens planning to travel on that day can check the traffic control zones on the city or event websites.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
