Hong Kong Marathon organisers considering new date after calling off November 20 race
- Athletics chiefs axed showpiece event on Friday, saying they did not have enough time to prepare with government yet to give approval
- Source says February could be targeted for rearranged marathon, in addition to 2023 race – which is slated for next October
With the Lunar New Year falling in January, a source said a date in February was the most likely option, with cooler weather making for ideal conditions for runners.
The proposal at least gave the city’s sporting community some reason for optimism after 24 hours of disappointment, with the marathon cancellation coming just before Oxfam announced it had been denied permission by the government to hold its annual trailwalker event over concerns around the number of people involved.
At a special membership meeting, the federation opted to move the event to Thailand instead because of Hong Kong’s “current quarantine and isolation arrangements for visitors”.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki expressed regret at the decision to cancel the marathon, and said it had taken officials by surprise. He claimed organisers had only “submitted an official application to us last week, and we need time to consider it”.