Taipei Marathon to be held Dec. 19; no face mask required during race

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) The Taipei Marathon will be held this year in Taiwan's capital on Dec. 19 as scheduled, and participants will not have to wear a face mask during the race, the city government said on Monday.

There are, however, certain requirements that athletes must follow in order to participate, according to the city's Department of Sports.

Speaking at a press event, Taipei Deputy Mayor Tsai Ping-kun (蔡炳坤) said organizers will need to receive a health declaration from each participant after they have registered online for the event.

The declaration can be a proof of vaccination against COVID-19, a negative PCR/rapid antigen test report, or a medical proof of recovery from the disease, Tsai said, noting that either of the three is acceptable.

Concerning the COVID-19 vaccination, he explained that participants will need to have at least one jab over the past 14 days.

Based on information provided by the event's official website, the COVID-19 vaccine needs to be administered before Dec. 5, while the negative PCR test should be taken after Dec. 13.

The document will be checked by the organizing staff before athletes can collect their race package, it said.

Tsai added that athletes will not have to wear a face mask during the race, but they will have to do so at the event that day prior to the start of the race and after they have crossed the finish line.

The Taipei Marathon this year will see the participation of 12 foreign athletes, who will all have to be quarantined for 14 days on their arrival in Taiwan as well as receive a negative PCR test one day before the official race, Tsai said.

The event, which consists of a 42.195-kilometer full marathon and a 21.0975-km half marathon, will be open to 28,000 athletes, the same as last year, he added.

Its online registration, which began Monday, will end on Oct. 27.

The Taipei Marathon has been held annually in Taiwan since 2001, and Kenyan runners have typically dominated the race each year.