EditorialGood sense prevails as Hong Kong Marathon is back on track
- Just days after being cancelled because of Covid-19 uncertainties, one of the city’s most popular sports event has been resurrected and rescheduled for February
The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, with thousands of runners racing through the heart of the city, is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the local sports calendar. There were 74,000 competitors in 2019, when it was last staged before the pandemic.
The route has the spectacular cityscape as its backdrop, making it a great advertisement for Hong Kong. Last year, concerns about Covid-19 meant a reduced field of some 18,000 competed.
But the fact the race went ahead at all was seen as a sign the city was bouncing back. That was before the fifth wave of cases struck, killing thousands and prompting the return of stricter antivirus measures.
The situation has since improved, although worries about Covid-19 remain. Still, it was sad that this year’s event, set for November, was cancelled.
Organisers said the lack of government approval left them insufficient time. Officials hit back, expressing surprise the drastic step was taken before a decision was made.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu spoke of his disappointment.