(ATR) Runners will start and finish the Tokyo 2020 marathon at the newly built Tokyo Olympic Stadium in a course designed to pass many of the city’s iconic landmarks.
Large sections of the course are flat, visiting the Japanese Imperial Palace, Tokyo station, Tokyo Tower, Ginza’s famous upscale market, and the Kaminarimon gate in the traditional neighborhood of Asakusa.
The final push of the course was designed to delight marathon enthusiasts. To win gold in Tokyo marathoners will need to overcome a large sustained climb over the last five kilometers to reach the Olympic stadium.
Organizers say the course was designed to take into account spectator visibility, as well as TV viewership. Over 300,000 people applied to take part in the 2018 Tokyo marathon. Only 36,000 spots were available.
Race walkers will have their course on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in the heart of downtown Tokyo for the Games. A one kilometer loop will be used for the 20k race, while a two kilometer route was designed for the 50k race in the outer gardens of the palace.
The 50k race walk event will pass a promenade that connects the Imperial Palace to Tokyo station.
"The marathon course highlights the essence of Tokyo – a blend of tradition and modernity," Sebastian Coe, International Association of Athletics Federations President, said in a statement about the courses. "The race walk course captures the serenity and beauty of the parks and green spaces tucked away in this busy, bustling metropolis with the stunning backdrop of the majestic Imperial Palace."
Tokyo 2020 provided a time lapse video of the marathon course, which can be seen below:
Tokyo 2020 has announced the route for the Olympic marathon! Athletes will run through both modern and traditional districts of central Tokyo, passing many of the city’s iconic landmarks, including Kaminarimon, Zojoji and Ginza. @iaaforg https://t.co/T3o2kIrVjB pic.twitter.com/3zdVGQIKrJ
— Tokyo 2020 (@Tokyo2020) May 31, 2018Written by Aaron Bauer
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