Japanese sponsor marathon, look toward Olympics
Belizean athletes who have always dreamed of one day representing their country in the Olympics will come one step closer to achieving that goal this weekend. On Sunday, the National Sports Council in collaboration with the Belize Defence Force and N.T.V. of Japan will present the first ever Henry Usher Marathon. It is the first time that a full marathon is being staged in Belize and will feature top long distance runners such as Joseph Carr and Aubrey Solomon. According to organizers, the top finisher in Sunday’s twenty-six mile race will get to represent Belize in a similar event next month in Tokyo.
Nakayama, Japanese Long Distance Runner
“The reason for my being here is to try to find some prospective runners to represent Belize in the upcoming Olympics. So having had that experience I feel that I would give some of my help and give them some advice, and maybe to choose some of the runners, that we could take over to Japan next month.”
Kanpei, Actor
“I have been here the first time when they did the 10-K race, and the half marathon and now a full marathon. And I’m truly hoping to find support for runners over here so that they could perhaps make the ultimate goal to go to the Olympics. And before we do that obviously we want to be able to pick and chose some of the runners that we could represent and go to Japan next month so they could train and participate in marathons in Japan.
As far as the viewers out there, just like any other sports, when you have people cheering behind you, you get the extra adrenaline going. So if anybody can go out there and along the road, it starts at the National Stadium, goes all the way to the Western Highway and back to the National Stadium. Come out to the National Stadium, cheer the runners and give them your support and maybe we can give them that extra push and get some great results.”
The marathon is scheduled to start at 6:30 on Sunday morning and runners are asked to line up at least fifteen minutes before the starting gun. First prize for the race is a thousand dollars, second prize is six hundred dollars and third prize four hundred. But the runners won’t be the only ones winning prizes. Organizers say that spectators will also get to take home some free souvenirs. The only catch is that you have to be present at the National Stadium for the entire duration of the marathon.
