On Mar. 8 the organizing committee of the Hokkaido Sapporo Marathon Festival 2021 formally decided the final details for the May 5 event, which will serve as the test event for the Tokyo Olympics marathons and race walks. The half marathon will feature a total of around 80 men and women from Japan and abroad including those scheduled to compete in the Olympics, while the 10 km will be geared toward mass participation entrants, with a field of 2500.
The 10 km will be conducted according to guidelines prepared under the supervision of experts, with coronavirus measures including 1 m separation between participants. With regard to spectators along the course, Yasuo Mori, the event's deputy director, commented, "If we want people to stay away from the course we have to communicate that to them, so we must make a final decision by the end of March or early April. It's very important to minimize any concerns or fears the local people may have."
Online entries for mass participation runners open at 10:00 a.m. on Mar. 9 and will be open through Mar. 15. The results of the entry lottery will be announced Mar. 22. The Olympic race walks are scheduled for Aug. 5-6, with the marathons set for Aug. 7-8.
translated and edited by Brett Larner
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