OCA Press Release: OCA breaks new ground with Asian Games Fun Run in DPR Korea

Kuwait, April 18, 2018: The Olympic Council of Asia will break new ground when it holds an 18th Asian Games Fun Run in Pyongyang, capital of DPR Korea, on May 1.

The OCA began the Fun Run initiative to promote the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006 and has held a series of runs around the continent in the build-up to the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in 2010, Incheon, Korea in 2014 and now the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia.

However, this is the first time the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Olympic Committee has joined in the Asian Games Fun Run series – and the OCA is delighted to be making its first official visit to Pyongyang for over six years.

The President of the OCA, HE Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, said: "We are very happy and honoured to be working closely with the National Olympic Committee of DPR Korea and the OCA is very much looking forward to visiting Pyongyang again soon.

"The Fun Run is proving to be a very popular and enjoyable way of promoting our Asian Games to a young generation of sports enthusiasts while also encouraging an active and healthy lifestyle.

"We are sure that the Asian Games Fun Run in Pyongyang on May 1 will be a special occasion for the Olympic movement and a big success for all concerned.

"We would like to thank the NOC of DPR Korea for their support and efforts in organising the Pyongyang Fun Run, and we would like to wish all success to the DPRK athletes who will compete in the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, this August and September."

Sheikh Ahmad visited Pyongyang for talks on sports cooperation and assistance in November 2011, but the OCA President will not be part of the three-strong OCA delegation attending the Asian Games Fun Run.

According to the DPR Korea Olympic Committee, the Asian Games Fun Run in Pyongyang will take place at the Sports Complex in Chongchun Street on Tuesday, May 1, starting at 10am. The distance will be 5km.

There will be over 200 runners including students, athletes and members of the public.

The OCA began this latest fun run series last December and it will visit over 33 National Olympic Committees from all five zones of the continent in the build-up to the 18th Asian Games, which will run from August 18 to September 2 in Jakarta and Palembang, capital of South Sumatra.

The DPRK Olympic Committee has been in the global sports spotlight throughout 2018. After agreeing to compete in the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, Republic of Korea, in January, the two NOCs marched together in the Opening Ceremony on February 9 behind the Korean Unification Flag. They also fielded a joint team in the women’s ice hockey competition.

On March 30, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach visited Pyongyang and held fruitful talks with the DPRK’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un.

During the meeting it was confirmed that DPRK is committed to sending its athletes to the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 and the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022, as well as the summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina this October and the winter YOG in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2020.

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