Minister to flag off Central Celebes Marathon

Palu, Central Sulawesi, April 10 (Antara) - Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawi is scheduled to flag off participants of the Central Celebes Marathon (CCM) in the Central Sulawesi provincial capital of Palu on Sunday.

To be held on April 15, 2018, the CCM is a sports tourism event to commemorate the 54th anniversary of Central Sulawesi Province that falls on Apr 13.

"We have established coordination with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs and found that the minister is scheduled to flag off the participants of the Central Celebes Marathon," Central Sulawesi Provincial Public Relations Chief Moh. Haris Kariming remarked here on Tuesday.

No less than 1,500 regional, national, and international athletes will participate in the marathon sports tourism event and compete in the five-kilometer, 10-kilometer, 21-kilometer, and 42-kilometer categories.

The event aims to promote the culinary, nature, and marine tourism of Central Sulawesi. The organizing committee has offered a cash bonus of hundreds of millions of rupiah for the winners.

Kariming explained that the CCM is the first-ever sports tourism event to be held in Central Sulawesi to enliven the 54th anniversary of the province.

Athletes from numerous countries, such as Kenya, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, have registered for the national and international marathon run.

CCM Organizing Committee Chairman Syaifullah Jafar remarked that with the event drawing closer, more sprinters from several countries were registering for the event due to the widespread dissemination of information.

Jafar also stated that funds worth Rp456 million for the winners of all CCM activities were not sourced from the Regional Budget but from sponsors.

"The CCM in Palu is unique, as such a marathon has not been held anywhere else in the world," Jafar, a marathon enthusiast, who has participated in dozens of national and international marathon races in various countries, noted.

What makes this event unique is that the participants will enjoy 13 custom and cultural attractions along the race route, a cheering spot with two thousand students gathering along the track to encourage the participants, and 30 free culinary spots for attendees and spectators.

The winners will receive different medals according to the class they follow. These medallions, with their interesting shape, have been specially designed to showcase the cultural and customary elements of Central Sulawesi.

"CCM is also a challenging event in which participants trek along mountains, valleys, rivers, and beaches, finally finishing at a location that holds traditional and cultural festivals as well as traditional culinary delights for the visitors and participants alike," Jafar added.