Hong Kong marathon resumes after year-long suspension

HONG KONG, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, which had been suspended for more than one year and a half due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed Sunday as the city's first major sports competition opened to public participation under the new normal.

This event, which kick off on early Sunday morning, had three categories: full marathon, half marathon, and 10 kilometers.

It provided a total of 18,500 entries and adopted anti-virus measures, including the requirement of full vaccination and nucleic acid testing, to ensure safety.

Local runner Wong Kai-Lok finished the men's full marathon in 2 hours, 31 minutes and 10 seconds to bag the champion title. The first place of the women's full marathon was claimed by local marathoner Yiu Kit-Ching, who clocked in at 2 hours, 39 minutes and 27 seconds.

The race was originally planned to be held on Feb. 9, 2020.