BANGKOK, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The first major sporting event to be held on one of Thailand's most beautiful islands will kick off on Sunday when the Koh Chang (Elephant Island) International Triathlon Championships are held to commemorate the 60th year of the King's accession to the throne.
The event will be held in the Olympic-distance format, which consists of a 1,500-meter swim, a 40-kilometer bicycle ride and a 10-kilometer run.
There will be three classes in the competition -- international, open (for Thais only) and team competitors, and each class will be divided into male, female and age group.
Trat Province's deputy governor Chonchuen Boonyanusan said the organizing committee is 100 percent ready for the big event on the beautiful island which is in the province, and added that special care has been taken to ensure the safety of all competitors.
"All routes of the competition will be looked after by our well-prepared staff. We assure every triathlete's security," he said.
Every competitor who finishes the event will receive a medal and certificate, while the international class winner will receive 150,000 Baht (about 3,750 U.S. dollars), with second and third place finishers receiving 100,000 Baht (2,500 U.S. dollars) and 50,000 Baht (1,250 U.S. dollars) respectively. Enditem
