JAKARTA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Central Java province is scheduled to resume the Borobudur Marathon from November 14 to 17 with more international runners expected to take part in the annual event, a provincial government official said on Wednesday.
"The event last year had attracted some 150 athletes from 30 countries and regions. This year, foreign participants are estimated to reach around 400 from 35 countries and regions," head of provincial youth, sports and tourism office Sinoeng Nugroho Rachmadi said in the province's capital of Semarang.
The much-expected foreign participation increase has resulted from the province's intensive efforts to promote the event by providing attractive offers for foreign runners, he said.
Transactions across the tourism sector in the upcoming marathon event held around the world's largest Buddhist temple of Borobudur is also estimated to rise up to 21.5 billion rupiahs (about 1.5 million U.S. dollars) from 19 billion rupiahs (about 1.3 million dollars) recorded last year, he added.
The Borobudur Marathon attracted around 10,000 runners, including the international participants taking part in the event last year.
Kenyan runners dominated in both the male and female categories last year.
The last year's marathon event provided cash rewards varied from 110 million rupiahs (about 7,800 dollars) for the winners to 45 million rupiahs (about 3,200 dollars) for runners finishing in the top five, in both categories.
