Tokyo Olympic Marathon Course to Start and Finish at Olympic Stadium, Follow Tokyo Marathon Course

2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee sports division executive Koji Murofushi announced plans on Aug. 22 for the Olympic marathon course to start and finish at the New National Stadium and follow the same basic course as February's Tokyo Marathon. IAAF representatives will attend the next Tokyo Marathon to observe and are expected to give formal approval in March.

The Tokyo Marathon starts in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government offices, passing many famed landmarks including Tokyo Tower, Ginza, Kaminarimon and Tomioka Hachiman Shrine before finishing between the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station. The 2020 Olympic course will move the start and finish point inside the New National Stadium. Regarding the reasons behind the plan Murofushi commented, "Because there is already an established base of experience it will be easier to work with relevant domestic parties. It's a well-balanced course that shows off many symbols of Japan and of Tokyo."

One point of concern from the IAAF is whether organizers would be able to fill the 60,000-seat New National Stadium for the marathon start and finish. Murofushi said that organizers are considering how to increase the appeal of being inside the stadium while the runners are out on the roads. "We have to think about whether the focus is on supporting the athletes or on providing entertainment," he said.

Translator's note: The proposed plan would return the marathon finish to the Olympic stadium for the first time since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Use of the Tokyo Marathon course would also mark a departure from the circuit course style used in recent Olympic and World Championships marathons.

source article:
https://www.nikkansports.com/general/nikkan/news/1876061.html
translated by Brett Larner

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