MINSK, 17 February (BelTA) – Organizers of the Minsk Half Marathon 2020 expect about 42,000 participants, Chairman of the Belarusian Athletics Federation Vadim Devyatovsky told a press conference timed to the official opening of the registration for the race on 17 February, BelTA has learned.
“We are growing bigger. This year 42,000 people are expected to take part in the event. The demand for registration is huge. People are getting ready for the event beforehand, they are practicing, and we are very happy about it. There are limited entry slots for each distance. This is done to avoid emergencies and make the race as comfortable as possible,” Vadim Devyatovsky said.
First Deputy Sports and Tourism Minister Vyacheslav Durnov noted that the Minsk Half Marathon is becoming a destination in itself. “Running is getting increasingly popular. The number of people taking up this sport is on the rise. I think the registration will be closed pretty early this year. I am convinced that this year the event will be just as enjoyable as the previous one,” he added.
Runners are given the option to sign up to run one of the three distance – 5.5km, 10.55km and 21.097km. The event is scheduled for 13 September. Applications can be submitted online on the website of the half marathon. The online registration is open till 12 September or till the event is filled to capacity.
The motto of the Minsk Half Marathon 2020 is Let's Run Together!
The Minsk Half Marathon 2019 was held for the fifth time and brought together 40,000 people from 68 countries worldwide. The men's event was won by Eritrea's Afewerki Berhane (21.1km), the women's event was won by Nina Savina of Belarus (21.1km). The half marathon has upgraded its status as it received the IAAF Silver Label Road Races. The prize pool of the event was $60,000.
