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SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 1988
RUNNERS FROM CHINA WIN THE MARATHON
TIME
DISTANCE RUNNER CAI SHANG-YAN FROM CHINA WITH A PERSONAL OF 2.23.07 WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE OPEN MEN DIVISION OF THIS YEAR'S HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL MARATHON HELD ON THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR TODAY (SUNDAY).
DIVISION WAS HUGH JONES
THE 1ST RUNNER-UP OF THE OPEN MEN (ENGLAND) WITH A PERSONAL TIME OF 2.23.55 AND THE 2ND RUNNER-UP KEVIN RYAN (NEW ZEALAND) WITH 2.24.52.
THIS YEAR'S HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL MARATHON WAS JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS AND THE HONG KONG AMATEUR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
LI XIN-XIA AND XIAO HONG-YAN, BOTH FROM CHINA, BECAME THE WINNER AND 1ST RUNNER-UP OF THE OPEN WOMEN DIVISION WITH PERSONAL TIMES OF 2.41.31 AND 2.42.36 RESPECTIVELY.
THE HONG KONG RUNNER VERONICA THRESH WITH A PERSONAL TIME OF 3.14.14.
WAS THE 2ND RUNNER-UP
SINGAPOREAN ATHLETES DEREK YZELMAN, LAT PAK-LOK AND TANG SER-CHONG TOPPED THE LIST OF THE WHEELCHAIR MEN DIVISION WITH PERSONAL TIMES OF 2.48.34, 2.50.25 AND 2.55.29 RESPECTIVELY.
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THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WHEELCHAIR WOMEN DIVISION WENT OF THE TOP SEEDS OF THIS DIVISION, MAEDA ITSUKO FROM JAPAN, WITH A PERSONAL TIME OF 3.36.39. THE 1ST AND 2ND RUNNERS-UP WERE PATRICIA HILL (NEW ZEALAND) AND CHAN KAM-TIN (HONG KONG) WITH THE PERSONAL TIMES OF 3.38.36 AND 3.50.24 RESPECTIVELY.
THE RACE RECEIVED AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE FROM BOTH LOCAL AND OVERSEAS RUNNERS WITH A TOTAL OF 970 COMPETITORS FROM 19 COUNTRIES AND AREAS. THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR GARETH MULLOY, OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING CEREMONY.
COMPETITORS WERE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE FOUR LAPS OF A SECTION OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR BETWEEN CAUSEWAY BAY AND SHAU KEI WAN COVERING A DISTANCE OF 42.195 KILOMETRES WHICH IS THE STANDARD LENGTH OF THE MODERN MARATHON.
BESIDES PROMOTING AN ANTI-DRUG MESSAGE BY BECOMING "ANTI-DRUG RUNNERS", COMPETITORS ALSO RAISED MONEY FOR THE COMMUNITY CHEST BASED ON THEIR PERFORMANCE.
THE EVENT, THE ELEVENTH IN THE SERIES, WAS SPONSORED BY CATHAY PACIFIC, NEW BALANCE, DEL MONTE. WATSON'S DISTILLED WATER AND INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE.
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