The course for the men's and women's marathon events of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games was announced Thursday by the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It features many of the capital's famous places, including the Outer Gardens of the Imperial Palace and the Asakusa and Ginza districts, with the new National Stadium, which is now under construction, as the start and finish point.
Arrangements are being made to hold the women's marathon on Aug. 2, 2020, and the men's marathon on Aug. 9, the last day of the Olympics.
Athletes will start the 42.195-kilometer course at the new National Stadium in Shinjuku Ward and run east on Yasukuni-dori avenue. They will proceed through Suidobashi and Nihonbashi, and turn south at the Asakusa district. They will go through the Ginza and Shinbashi districts, and turn north at Zojoji temple, about 24 kilometers from the starting point. After passing through Jinbocho, athletes will run south on Uchibori-dori avenue and turn north at Nijubashimae, the 32-kilometer point. They will pass through Suidobashi and come back to the new National Stadium.
Part of the course overlaps with that of the Tokyo Marathon.
The vertical difference between the highest and lowest points on the course is about 33 meters. The highest point is Yotsuya 4-chome in Shinjuku Ward, at an elevation of about 34 meters. The runners will pass this point both in the early and final stages of the race. There are some points with an elevation of 1 meter -- the lowest in the course.
An official of the organizing committee in charge of the matter said, "Except for some ups and downs in the early and final stages, [the course is] almost flat."
The International Association of Athletics Federations asked the organizing committee to include in the course places that symbolize Tokyo. The Tokyo organizing committee mapped out a draft course with iconic places such as Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa, Ginza and Tokyo Tower in sight of runners and spectators.
Sebastian Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, released a comment through the Tokyo organizing committee, saying: "The marathon course highlights the essence of Tokyo -- a blend of tradition and modernity."
It was also decided that the walking race events will go around a course that stretches from north to south, with Nijubashimae as the start and finish point.
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