Seoul Marathon 2022 runs through downtown amid spring

The Seoul Marathon 2022, a.k.a. the Dong-A Seoul International Marathon, opened on Sunday with new championship records set both in the men’s and women’s race. In the 42.195-kilometer-long race from Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, to Jamsil Sports Complex, Mosinet Geremew Bayih finished the race first with a record of 2:04:43 in the international men’s race, 30 seconds earlier than the fastest championship record made in 2016 in a domestic race by Oh Ju-han before his neutralization from Kenya. Herpasa Negasa Kitesa ranked 2nd place with a record of 2:04:49, followed by Daniel Ferreira Do Nascimento recording 2:04:51. Remarkably, all the top three athletes this year made a better record than the previous fastest one.

In the international women’s race as well, Joan-Chelimo Melly set a new record of 2:18:04 for the first time in 16 years in a domestic marathon competition.


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com