About 1,500 runners from 40 countries and regions took part in the 2007 International Marathon on the ancient city wall of China's well-known city of Xi 'an on Saturday.

China's Olympic champions Xiong Ni, Ge Fei, and Yang Jinghui also joined the start of the run.

The competition features three events, namely the 5km, 13.7km and half-marathon races, all of which are held on the famous city wall boasting a history of at least 600 years.

The city wall, built in Ming Dynasty, 13.74km long and 12-14 meters wide on the top, is the best-preserved ancient city wall in China.

The theme of the race was Mass Sports and Go with Olympic Games. The race participants included the city residents and the foreign tourists, experts and students.

The marathon on the city wall is one of the traditional international competitions in Xi'an. The first edition was held in 1993. In 2001, it was defined by the National Tourism Administration as a golden project.

(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2007)