Some 2,300 Local and Foreign Runners Join 2021 Angkor Wat International Half Marathon

The 26th Angkor Wat International Half Marathon organised on Jan. 2 attracted some 2,300 national and international runners.

According to H.E. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism and Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), of the total number, 2,100 were Cambodians, and 200 were foreigners.
The secretary of state spoke highly of the event, adding that it was not only a tournament, but also an event to promote the development of sports and tourism in Cambodia.
H.E. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, and President of NOCC, considered the event as a prerequisite to disseminate Cambodia’s safe tourism destination so as to attract more tourists worldwide to visit the Kingdom, especially to the Angkor historic site.
In 2019, Angkor Wat International Half Marathon attracted over 10,000 national and international runners from many countries, but in 2020 the sport event was held virtually due to COVID-19.
Since 1996, Cambodia has hosted the challenge aiming mainly to mobilise funding for humanitarian activities, particularly for children’s health care, assistance for victims by mine explosion and other vulnerable groups.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press