Runners brave the smog and take part in the famous Beijing Marathon

Photo: Chen Tao/GT

Some 30,000 runners braved the smog in Beijing on Sunday morning to take part in the 42.195-kilometre race as part of the 2024 Beijing Marathon, winding through the capital’s main arteries and landmarks.

According to the organizing committee, approximately 30,000 participants joined this year’s event from a record 182,000 applicants from 43 countries and regions who signed up from October 2 to 5.

The men’s race was won by Ethiopia’s Lemi Hale in 2:09:16, followed by Kenya’s Betwel Chumba in 2:09:30 and China’s Chen Tianyu in 2:09:48.

In the women’s competition, Vikoti Chepngeno of Kenya took first place with a time of 2:21:56, followed by Rahma Tusa of Ethiopia in 2:24:31 and Angela Tanui of Kenya in 2:25:41.

The flagship event’s route passes some of Beijing’s most iconic landmarks, offering runners a unique experience as they travel through the capital.

Starting from Tiananmen Square, participants head along Chang’an West Avenue, passing famous sites such as the Ethnic Community Culture Palace, the Chinese People’s Revolutionary War Museum and the China Millennium Monument, before finishing at the scenic Olympic Park Boulevard.

The Beijing Marathon, which first took place in 1981, has long been a widely celebrated event in China, attracting runners of all levels and cultivating the spirit of endurance.