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News04 Feb 2018


Tokyo 2020 race walking venues approved

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Tokyo's Imperial Palace Garden (© Tokyo 2020 )

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced on Saturday (3) that the International Olympic Committee Executive Board has approved the venues for the Tokyo 2020 race walking events.

The Imperial Palace Garden, comprising traditional landscaped Japanese gardens and surrounded by historic buildings, will serve as the venue for race walking competition. The central Tokyo park is one of Tokyo’s most famous landmarks and tourist attractions. Tokyo 2020 hopes that as well as wowing athletes and spectators during the events themselves, the inclusion of such iconic venues will help inspire the public to take up sporting activities after the Games.

"Imperial Palace Garden is an ideal venue for the race walking events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," said IAAF Race Walking Committee member Robert Korzeniowski, a four-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion of the event.

"The beautiful settings will make the events even more appealing to the thousands of spectators who will line the streets. The athletes, meanwhile, will appreciate the flat and fast course. I have no doubt the race walking events in Tokyo will be memorable races."

“I am glad that we were able to finalise these venues today" Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said. "I believe that these will serve as a great stage for the athletes and provide an excellent spectator experience."

The Tokyo 2020 Games will utilise a total of 43 venues, including eight new permanent venues, 25 existing sites and 10 temporary venues. 42 of these 43 venues will be used for competitions of the Olympic Games, and 20 of them will be used for the Paralympic Games. With almost 60 per cent of the venues utilising existing facilities, Tokyo 2020 has embraced one of the Olympic Agenda 2020’s key aims – creating a sustainable legacy for future generations.

IOC and IAAF