The third running of the Angkor Empire Marathon around the breathtaking sights of the Angkor Wat complex in Siem Reap on Sunday is all set to trigger the same level of enthusiasm and excitement that marked the two previous editions, making it one of the Kingdom’s most popular sports tourism adventures.

The 42km charity run will come under the starter’s orders long before the first crack of light, at 4.30am, followed by several supporting events including 21km and 10km run for men and women followed by 3km fun run for all ages and athletic abilities.

With expats and locals joining overseas entries, participants for the marathon and other events will be number in excess of 2,000.

Cambodia is among 100 countries and territories staging marathons every year, but few can match the historical and architectural significance of a World Heritage site and the natural beauty that the route around the sprawling complex offers.

The Association of International Marathons and Road Races (AIMS), a member-based organisation of over 350 of the world’s leading road races, marked out the route in 2014 and has carried out a few readjustments for this run to make the experience even more exciting.