Tokyo 2020 Olympics moves marathon to Sapporo as IOC issues royal decree, sparking outrage in host city
- Sweltering Tokyo weather is too hot to host the marquee event, Olympic bosses tell organisers
- ‘Who proposed this?’ asks irate Tokyo governor – ‘a majority of Tokyo residents want the marathon race to stay ... we need to take their opinions seriously’
Nothing signifies the end of an Olympic Games like the marathon. Held on the final Sunday of the Games, this marquee event is always the last one on the athletic calendar. Starting at the main stadium and ending up back there 42 kilometres later, the race through the streets offers global viewers a look back on the host city of the past 17 days one last time.
In Japan, a country with a deep and passionate running culture, the marathon is spoken of in reverential tones. More than 320,000 runners applied for 35,000 spots in the 2017 Tokyo Marathon and Japan has more women’s Olympic marathon gold medals than any other country. In 2018, Yuki Kawauchi halted the East African dominance of the Boston Marathon and became the first Japanese man to win the race in 31 years.
As demand for Olympic tickets wildly exceeds availability, the urban marathon route is the one live event all Tokyoites can actually enjoy. And while most will still be able to watch the event live, now they will have to fly up north to Sapporo to do it.