Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Participation in Angkor Empire Marathon expected to top 3,000

Participation in Angkor Empire Marathon expected to top 3,000

Participants run though the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap during the annual half marathon.
Participants run though the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap during the annual half marathon.

Participation in Angkor Empire Marathon expected to top 3,000

The second running of the Angkor Empire Marathon around the breath-taking sights of the Angkor Wat Temple complex in Siem Reap on Sunday has attracted a modest increase in overseas participation.

As per the latest registration figures made available to the Post by the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, close to 1,200 runners from 48 countries will line up for the 42km charity run, a 20 per cent rise compared with the inaugural run on August 17 last year.

With expats and the locals joining in, the number of participants for the marathon and the supporting half marathon, along with the 10K run, is expected to get past 3,000.

Cambodia is among the 100 countries and territories staging the marathons every year, but few can match the historical and architectural significance of a World Heritage site and the natural scenic beauty that the running route offers around the sprawling temple complex.

The Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS), a member-based organisation of over 350 of world’s leading road races marked out the route last year and has carried out a few readjustments for this run to make the experience even more exciting.

Japan’s “Owarai” comedian Neko Hiroshi, who became a Cambodian citizen more than three years ago, won for his adopted country the inaugural run and is hoping for a repeat success.

He finished sixth in the recently held SEA Games in Singapore.

The Phnom Penh-based French tutor Veronique Messina, winner of multiple half marathons including the May 31 Phnom Penh International Half marathon, topped the women’s run last year.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom

  • PM warns of int’l election interference

    With the national election scheduled to take place in less than two months, Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned foreign nations and their diplomats not to interfere into Cambodia’s domestic affairs. He also hinted that their statements on court verdicts handed down to any