Yangzhou Jianzhen Marathon receives national honor

More than 35,000 runners from over 40 countries and regions take part in the 2018 Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon on Apr 22, 2018. [Photo/VCG]

Yangzhou Jianzhen International Half Marathon was awarded as a gold label event at the 2018 Chinese Athletics Association Marathon Press Conference held in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province on Mar 11.

It is the seventh consecutive year that Yangzhou has won the honor.

The race takes place annually in April in Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, over the half marathon distance, which is 21.0975 kilometers.

The event is named in honor of Jianzhen, a monk from the city who propagated Buddhism in Japan in the 8th century.

This year the marathon will kick off at 8 am on Apr 21.