Taiyuan becomes 10th Chinese city to host international marathon
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Taiyuan, capital of west China's Shanxi province, will hold the inaugural marathon on September 5, becoming the 10th Chinese city to have an international marathon.
Taiyuan, an energy and heavy chemical industry city, aims to build a regional metropolis with international influence and the marathon is regarded by local officials as a rare chance to let it known to the world.
In 1981, Beijing, the Chinese caiptal, became the first Chinese city to stage an international marathon.
Although Beijing marathon organizers claimed that the annual event has grown to one of the top 10 international marathons in the world, it still struggles to attract world's best runners like London, Berlin and Chicago.
China's other cities, like Shanghai, Xiamen and Dalian, also have ambitious plans but have to keep their feet on the land when talking about catching up with London and Berlin.
But Taiyuan's officials believed that investing in such an sports event will be paid off.
Wu Jianshe, secretary general of Taiyuan's international marathon committee, said the Taiyuan International Marathon will play an important role in the development of a city that is in the midst of a remarkable transformation.
"City greening and construction have changed Taiyuan a lot. We will regard this international sporting event as a chance to show the ancient city a new look to the world," Wu said.
Taiyuan International Marathon will be staged along Fenhe River where the sceneries were awarded "Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment (DIABP)."
"International marathon will become an important carrier of mass sports development," Su Yajun, director of Shanxi provincial bureau of sports, said.
Su took Beijing International Marathon as an example. At the very beginning, only 400 runners took part in the event. In 1998, the figure reached 30,000. Nowadays, each year over 10,000 runners completed the 42.195 km marathon, attracting millions of people to watch.
The first Taiyuan International Marathon consists of five events: men's and women's full marathon, men's and women's half marathon, and mini marathon. About 10,000 people are expected to participate.
Organizers said that 20 to 30 top foreign athletes, 40 to 50 Chinese professional athletes, 1,200 Chinese amateur runners, and about 8,000 participants of Mini Marathon.
So far, 23 elite foreign runners have been invited to race, including David Kemboi Murkomer from Kenya who was ranked fifth in 2008 Paris International Marathon, and Yeshi Esayias Tesemma from Ethiopia who won the women's title in 2010 Daegu International Marathon.
In Taiyuan, there are over 100 marathon lovers joining in various national games all the year around, among which over 20 people attended full marathons for many times.
Sun Gengsheng, a 70-year-old Taiyuan citizen, has run full marathons for 33 times and half marathons for 13 times since he first took part in Beijing International Marathon in 2000.
"Ordinary people are the main body of sports. Every time marathon was held, it was like people were celebrating a festival. I've run marathon for many times in other cities. Only running in my homeland do I have no regrets," Sun said.
"More and more people and cities are involved in international marathons. They are attracted by its spirit. And international marathon is becoming city's grand gathering and people's festival in China," said Shen Chunde, vice chairman of the Chinese Athletics Association.
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