International marathon held in Ordos

Contestants carry flags during the race. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2018 Ordos International Marathon kicked off in the city of Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on the evening of Aug 25. 

This is the third year that the race has been held in the city. More than 20,000 contestants from 21 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Australia, Germany, Japan and Ethiopia registered for the event.

Out of the participants, 5,000 registered to do the half marathon, 12,000 entered the mini marathon, with the remainder completing the full race. 

The men’s full marathon ended with Kenya’s Maina Zabron claiming the championship; with Ethiopian runner Teshome Getachew securing second place, and China’s Zhu Keke coming third.

In the women’s full marathon, the top three runners were all from China –– Tang Wei, Wang Yue and Wang Xiaobo. 

This year’s competition ensured rules were applied consistently to ensure fairness. And the number of stands supplying food and drink, as well as the number of toilets available for competitors was increased compared to the previous year. 

In order to avoid the heat during the day, the event was scheduled in the evening. Many contestants were surprised by the temperate weather and night views of the city, according to the follow-up interviews conducted after the race. 

Sponsored by the Chinese Athletics Association, Inner Mongolia Sports Bureau and Ordos municipal government, the event was hosted by Ordos Sports Bureau and huwai.com, an internet travel portal. 

As the largest marathon ever held in Inner Mongolia, the event received plenty of attention and support from the local government while it was being planned. 

To ensure the safety of the participants, over 300 paramedics were on standby at the event to provide assistance to contestants. 

A total of 100 professional referees, including some that have been responsible for national-level competitions, were invited to the game, and around 800 volunteers were recruited to serve the competition. 

As a measure to get more people involved in the sports event, a parent-child race was also held, involving over 800 children from across the country.

A contestant leaps across the finishing line. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]