Tokyo Marathon joins World Marathon Majors series
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Tokyo Marathon has joined the World Marathon Majors, becoming the sixth city in the series.
The World Marathon Majors announced Friday that the Tokyo Marathon will be held Feb. 24, the first race of the series and first in Asia. It joins world majors in Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.
The Tokyo Marathon has received about 300,000 applications for 36,000 spots since 2007.
The World Marathon Majors formed in 2006 and offers $1 million in prize money split equally between the top male and female competitors.
Runners earn points by placing among the top five in each race over a two-year period. The World Championships and Olympic marathons also are counted toward the total.
