The Shengjing Bank Shenyang Marathon 2026 kicked off on Sunday morning, attracting around 22,000 running enthusiasts from home and abroad to the increasingly international event in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province in northeast China.
The full marathon drew 10,000 runners and the half marathon 12,000, all starting from the Shenyang Olympic Sports Center early on September 6.
In the men's full marathon, a Kenyan runner won the top honor, while the women's race was won by an Ethiopian runner. In the half marathon races, both men's and women's titles were won by Chinese runners, Zhang Xiaorui and Zhao Na.
While offering a platform for speed competition, the city marathon of Shenyang also deployed 30 first-aid-certified runners to accompany elderly runners, visually impaired participants and wheelchair athletes.
Via such heartwarming accompaniment, Shenyang's city marathon well demonstrated how a sports event can highlight the spirit of equality, courage and mutual care.
This year's Shenyang marathon featured northeastern Chinese dialect-style slogans along the racing routes milestones, such as "Laotie never gives up", to encourage runners to persevere.
These slogans full of local language characteristics not only presented the typical characters of northeastern Chinese such as straightforwardness, optimism, resilience and hard work, but also echoed the energetic trackside local cheering teams.
Staging heavy industry-themed dances, Yangge folk dances and other performances along the routes, the "Laotie cheering teams" meaning buddies-like cheering teams created an immersive experience of citywide cheering.
Among the multiple sites with cheering teams, a 100-meter-long "cheering corridor" on a local bridge over the Hun River impressed runners with large crowds of local citizens also basking in Shenyang's enthusiasm.
As every participant of the event was given a local "cultural tourism passport", they could opt for city walks to visit a dozen popular attractions in Shenyang.
Free to visit the Shenyang Imperial Palace, Zhang Xueliang's Former Residence Museum, and Shenyang Financial Museum from September 5 to 11, the runners from China and abroad may find the "Laotie-level" tourism services there more than hospitable.
(Edited by Duan Jing with Xinhua Silk Road, duanjing@xinhua.org)
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