Over 5,000 competitors for International Run for Peace

Over 5,000 competitors will take part in the International Run for Peace which will be worked off in Colombo on September 18, 2005 and in Vavuniya on September 25, 2005.

The run in Colombo will consist of a marathon (42 kilometres) and two mini marathons of 10 kms and 5 kms respectively while the run in Vavuniya will comprise a half marathon (21 kilometres) and two mini marathons of 10 kms and 5 kms respectively.

Three thousand athletes from Sri Lanka will take part in the run along with 1,000 runners from Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, England and Sweden. 700 runners from Japan, China, Thailand and Malaysia will join the run with 300 athletes from USA, New Zealand and Australia.

The International Run for Peace is being organised by the Asian German Sports Exchange Programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

It is being conducted with the intention of bringing together athletes from different nationalities under the theme connecting sports people. It will also help to give a positive impetus to Sri Lanka's peace process and promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination.

Guenther Wagner from Munich, Germany is the international co-ordinator for the run who is being assisted by Johannes Horstmann from Cologne, Germany and Yann Stahmer from Hamburg, Germany.