JAKARTA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Bandung, West Java, on Saturday morning waved the start flag, opening the 10-K Gema Nusa walkathon competition.

    The head of state was accompanied by chief organizer of the event and the chairman of the Gema Nusa, KH Abdullah Gymnastiar, popularly known as Aa Gym.

    Some 50,000 amateur and professional runners took part in the event.

    Clad in a red-and-white-sports wear, the president and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, West Java Governor Dany Setiawan, Aa Gym, State Minister for Youth and Sports Adhyaksa Dault and some officers joined the walkathon for several kilometers.

    The Indonesian Record Museum (MURI) awarded the museum's title to chairman of Gema Nusa for breaking the record of the number of participants in the event. Enditem