Intl marathon kicks off in Bama

On Oct 21, the 2018 Bama International Marathon kicked off in Bama Yao autonomous county in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Targeting the public, the event was designed with the theme of "Healthy Bama, leading the future", aiming to set up a big sports gala integrating the professional with the popular, making the village a platform to promote international exchanges between participants and increase Bama's global reputation and influence.

A total of 9,641 runners take part in the sports event. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Sponsored by the Chinese Athletics Association, the Sport Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the Hechi municipal people's government, the event was highly developed in terms of internationalization, professionalization, popularization and humanization, and has been included in the marathon series "Run, Guangxi".

In recent years, Guangxi has pushed forward the establishment of "Healthy Guangxi", aiming to build up a comprehensive sports industry to facilitate the development of its tourism, culture and sports, making the region a central zone for internationally famous sports events.

Bama, a longevity village, has abundant ecological resources and has been working on two massive health industries, traditional health sports and healthcare fitness, in recent years. The village has additionally made full use of its advantages in resources to accelerate the establishment of the Bama Longevity Health International Tourism Zone. Meanwhile, Bama has been enhancing economic transformation and upgrading by energetically developing its tourism industry. The marathon was a good way to publicize Bama to the world.

The participants' ages range from 2.5 to 75 years old. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The running track is set near the river, with green trees on both sides, offering runners a pleasant environment. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]