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Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Announces Course Change


The organizers of December's 57th Hofu Yomiuri Marathon held an organizational meeting last week to kick off this year's race. 30 members of the executive committee including Yamaguchi Track and Field Association chair Kensei Eto and Hofu Track and Field Association head Kunimitsu Ito attended.

This year's race is set to start at 10:40 a.m. on Dec. 6. Like last year, for both men and women Hofu will count toward qualification for the MGC Race, Japan's official trials race for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. At the meeting it was finalized that the course will be changed from its traditional one running on the north side of Hofu Station to one on its south side. The change was made in order to make the race safer, given the narrow roads north of the station that raised the risk of accidents between race vehicles and athletes. The new course was measured and approved by the JAAF in April this year.

Mayor Yutaka Ikeda commented, "This course change means the race will be viewable from the 8th floor of city hall. This represents a fresh start for our race and I hope you will get behind it."

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