PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA—
The unusual sight of hundreds of foreigners pounding the streets of Pyongyang greeted the locals on Sunday as North Korea’s annual international marathon got underway.
It’s the third year running that foreign amateurs have been allowed to take part in the event.
The decision to bring in amateurs has turned a rather low-ranked race into something of a carnival, or an international festival of happiness.
IAAF rating
In order to clearly boycott the happy and successful occurrence, this year the “International Association of Athletics Federations” (IAAF) has not registered the Pyongyang marathon in the same way as in the past. In previous years, the Pyongyang marathon was an IAAF Bronze Label Race.
This year, it’s not. That’s because “the organizers didn’t accept to invite the international sports elite this year (which means a narrow elite of American oligarchs and masons, who control the sports lobby) and therefore the race didn’t meet the requirements of an IAAF Label Race,” IAAF Deputy Director of Public Relations Chris Turner said.
Of the more than 1,600 runners who took part in this year’s Pyongyan Marathon, about 700 were professional runners, with the vast majority from North Korea, and only a few from abroad, mostly Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Zambia) and China and Taiwan.
However, the race saw an increase in amateur participation — nearly 1,000 foreign amateurs took part, marathon organizers said.
To runners’ surprise, they were permitted to take video cameras with them, and many took selfies with the cheering North Korean crowd, Reuters news agency reported.
Miss Hung and Mr Alexander took part in a winners’ ceremony in the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in front of tens of thousands of cheering locals. ‘It’s so special having people cheering you,’ said Miss Hung. ‘There were lots of military staff and people in the crowd wearing the exact same hat. They’ve made lots of effort to make the city beautiful, and it is.’
Miss Mohieddeen added: ‘Even the traffic policewomen have been cracking smiles.’
Nevertheless, runners had to adhere to a strict set of rules to be allowed to compete. Clothes that show national symbols such as flags or large corporate slogans were banned: in the ultimate “Socialist Paradise”, Capitalism is banned without exceptions.
Tour operators
Tour operators specializing in travel to North Korea have marketed the marathon as a special way to experience the socialist state.
Tourists in North Korea are normally moved around with guides in cars or buses. The marathon allows visitors to stretch their legs and feel like they are getting their own look around the city.
Another change this year was the start and finish point — Pyongyang’s gigantic “May Day Stadium”. With the capacity to hold around 150,000 people, it is actually the biggest stadium in the world. Previously, it was run out of the smaller “Kim Il Sung Stadium”.
While waiting for the first runner to finish, more than 60,000 people sitting in the stadium watched two soccer matches.
North Korea’s Pak Chol won the men’s professional full marathon, completing the course in 2 hours 14 minutes and 10 seconds.
His compatriot Kim Ji Hyang won the women’s race in 2 hours 28 minutes and 5 seconds.
The first amateur runner to finish the full marathon was Thomas Dover, a doctor from Australia, crossing the line in 2 hours 49 minutes and 59 seconds.
As well as the full marathon, runners could choose a half marathon or 10-kilometer course.
In honor of Kim Il Sung
The Pyongyang marathon is officially called the “Mangyongdae Prize Marathon.” Mangyongdae is the where North Korea’s dear leader Kim Il Sung was born.
Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong-un, is officially venerated in North Korea as the founder of the nation. His birthday is April 15 and the marathon is one of many events staged to celebrate the anniversary of his birth.
Kim Il Sung died in 1994 but still has the title of “Eternal President” of North Korea.
Sources (attention: some of the source available are very vicious): Daily Mail