The 2nd Hainan (Sanya) International Marathon ( the “Hainan Marathon”) started at the Sanya Library at 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 26, and was a great success.

The Hainan Marathon was co-hosted by the Chinese Athletic Association, the Department of Culture, Radio, Television, Publication and Sports of Hainan Province and the People’s Government of Sanya City, with the support of the Hainan Provincial People’s Government. The co-organizers included the Department of Culture, Radio, Television, Publication and Sports of Sanya City, the Public Security Bureau of Sanya City, the People’s Government of Tianya District, the People’s Government of Jiyang District & the Hainan Athletic Association, and the Hainan Sports Center implemented the actual event. As the strategic partner of Hainan Provincial People’s Government in the development and marketization of its culture and sports industry, Alisports was also engaged in this event.

In total 19,567 runners participated in the Hainan Marathon, with 4,567 enrolled in the full marathon, 5,000 enrolled in the half-marathon and 10,000 enrolled in the mini marathon. The organizing committee also set up other forms of participation, such as the couple run and charity run.

According to Alisports, among the almost 20,000 runners, there were quite a few participants from France, Singapore and Japan, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Yan Yan, the leader of the enrolment group, said, ”Once the enrolment was opened, many runners enrolled online immediately. The organizing committee also opened the enrolment section on Facebook this year, which attracted many foreign runners.”  

The Hainan Marathon route has received great praise, as it passes through a lot of well-known scenic spots, such as the Tianya Haijiao and Sunshine Beach at Yalong Bay.

In 2016, there were over 328 marathons and related events registered at the Chinese Athletic Association. Compared to 2015, the number of national marathons and related running events increased by 150% in 2016, and the number of participants (almost 2.8 million) also increased by 1.3 million, which is another record high.

Source：Yutang Sports 

Proofread by Sean O Diobhilin