CHENGDU, China, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 27, the 2024 Mengniu Chengdu Marathon officially kicked off with the theme "Joyful Running in a Park City, Advancing in an Innovative City." A total of 35,000 runners from around the world set off from the Jinsha Site, experiencing the diverse atmosphere and unique charm of "the park city beneath the snow-capped mountains, the happy Chengdu filled with fireworks, and the innovative city in progress." After fierce competition, the top three finishers in the men's marathon were Adane (Ethiopia), Kimurere (Kenya), and Abrahah (Ethiopia), with the champion finishing in a record time of 2 hours 08 minutes 55 seconds. In the women's marathon, the top three were Chelimo (Kenya), Imana (Ethiopia), and Demissie (Ethiopia), with the champion finishing in 2 hours 27 minutes 12 seconds. In the East Asia Half Marathon Championships, the men's champion was Jiang Fakun from China with a time of 1 hour 03 minutes 39 seconds, and the women's champion was Tsering Tso from China with a time of 1 hour 11 minutes 15 seconds. Dong Guojian and Liang Tiantian won the men's and women's championships at the National Half Marathon Championships (Fifth Stop) with times of 1 hour 03 minutes 30 seconds and 1 hour 11 minutes 15 seconds, respectively.

Joyful Running in a Park City, Advancing in an Innovative City Runners Immerse Themselves in the Rich Atmosphere of Chinese Modernization

Founded in 2017, the Chengdu Marathon has rapidly developed in recent years and has become a well-known event in the country. The event's standards are continuously improving, with attention to detail enhancing its reputation. This year, Chengdu hosted both the East Asia Half Marathon Championships and the National Half Marathon Championships (Fifth Stop), with the "three races combined" elevating the quality of the marathon to new heights.

Participants in the East Asia Half Marathon included athletes like Tashi Tsering, Jiang Fakun, Wang Kun, Zhang Deshun, and Tsering Tso; those in the National Half Marathon Championships included Peng Jianhua, Yang Kegu, Dong Guojian, He Yingbing, Li Meizhen, Li Dan, He Wuxia, and Ma Xiuzhen; while Yang Chengxiang, Guan Yousheng, and Cen Wanjian participated in the Chengdu Marathon. Additionally, this year, the Chengdu Marathon invited 10 gold label athletes from the World Athletics to compete, bringing together elite runners from around the world. Among the 35,000 participants in this year's Chengdu Marathon, 639 foreign athletes from 55 countries and regions joined to experience the city's passion through running.

The course for the 2024 Mengniu Chengdu Marathon followed last year's classic route, starting at the Jinsha Site Museum. The finish line for the half marathon was at Sichuan University, which has over a century of history, while the marathon's finish line was set at the Century City New International Exhibition Center. Runners passed by the Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Kuanzhai Alley, Tianfu Square, and the Tianfu Panda Tower; from the Tianfu Interchange and Guixi Ecological Park to the China-Europe Center and Century City New International Exhibition Center… As they ran, they traced the city's thousands of years of growth, from the brilliant Jinsha ancient civilization to the vibrant new era.

This year's Chengdu Marathon, with the slogan "Joyful Running in a Park City, Advancing in an Innovative City," saw runners from all over the world come together for a shared journey. As the capital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu is an important central city in the western region, a nationally recognized historical and cultural city, and an international comprehensive transportation hub. It positions itself as the "Western Economic Center, Western Technology Innovation Center, Western International Exchange Center, and National Advanced Manufacturing Base." Prosperous parks lead to thriving industries, and strong parks lead to a robust economy! Recently, Chengdu initiated actions to "optimize and enhance quality, establish distinctive parks, empower efficiency, and support businesses." Alongside the city's natural and cultural beauty, the Chengdu Marathon aims to convey a spirit of positivity to the runners, providing a unique, rich, and unforgettable marathon experience.

Over 70% of Runners from Outside the City "Traveling with the Chengdu Marathon" Boosts Economic Development

"In nine days, a Chengdu is born; thousands of households enter a painting." Chengdu, rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage, is one of China's first historical and cultural cities and one of the country's ten ancient capitals. With a 4,500-year history of urban civilization and a 2,300-year history of city founding, it nurtures a deep cultural essence.

This year, among the 35,000 participants in the Chengdu Marathon, those from outside the city accounted for 74.3%, an increase of 15 percentage points from last year, totaling 26,000 people. Data from Ctrip shows that since October 22, flight bookings to Chengdu have doubled, and during the marathon period (October 26-28), flight bookings increased by over 60% compared to the previous year, with the number of orders on the race day ranking third nationwide. Hotel bookings in Chengdu doubled during the marathon, and ticket sales for tourist attractions increased by 365%, while family user orders rose by 90% compared to last year. Data from Meituan also shows that from October 21 to 25, hotel search volume in Chengdu rose by 34%, with related high-frequency search terms like "Chengdu hotels and restaurants" and "Chengdu hotel suites," and the starting point "Jinsha Site Museum" became one of the hot search districts for hotels.

To synergize the development of sports, tourism, and other industries, and to innovate a tourism product system with "sports plus," Chengdu Marathon collaborated with 13 A-level scenic spots in the city, offering free admission to participants before and after the race. Runners could experience the charm of Chengdu while running a marathon, exploring the ancient Shu civilization under the protection of the Sun God Bird at the Jinsha Site Museum, enjoying the lush greenery of Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan, appreciating the poetic spirit at the Du Fu Thatched Cottage, and witnessing the elegance of giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding…

Today, Chengdu prioritizes industrial development and manufacturing as its primary goal for economic growth, rapidly constructing a modern industrial system with 30 key industrial chains, including integrated circuits, new displays, automotive, and large aircraft manufacturing. The city has cultivated a trillion-yuan electronic information industry and boasts 10 national-level industrial clusters, with a total economic output exceeding 2.2 trillion yuan last year. It is a "dynamic innovative city" that gathers 66 universities and 47 state-owned research institutions, with over 13,000 national high-tech enterprises, and has improved its global innovation index ranking to 23rd. It is also an "open and inclusive international metropolis," continuously optimizing its business environment as a key reform initiative and regularly conducting activities to "engage thousands of enterprises, solve problems, optimize the environment, and promote development," striving to create a first-class market-oriented, rule-of-law, and international business environment.

From August 7 to 17 next year, Chengdu will host the 12th World Games, the highest level of international multi-sport events outside of the Olympics, featuring 254 diverse and interesting competition events such as ultimate frisbee, roller skating, and climbing, inviting friends from all over to experience the city's passion for sports.

Thoughtful Services Create a Heartwarming Participation Experience The Chengdu Marathon Supports High-Quality Construction of a World-Class Event City

To provide all runners with a better experience, the Chengdu Marathon has continually innovated through more professional, thoughtful, and meticulous event services, giving back to the support of runners.

This year, the Chengdu Marathon expanded its participant services, including the launch of Sichuan Airlines' themed flights, the attentive accommodation services provided by the Chengdu Marathon hotel alliance, and the establishment of consultation desks at Chengdu East Station to assist out-of-town participants, all of which enhanced the runners' experience in the city.

To continuously optimize participants' smooth experience at the starting point on race day, the 2024 Mengniu Chengdu Marathon will implement staggered starts, and the half marathon cutoff time has been adjusted to 3 hours and 10 minutes to improve the finish experience for those starting in the later waves. Additionally, the Chengdu Marathon has increased its supply along the course, preparing 220,000 bottles of drinking water, 123,000 bottles of sports drinks, 25,000 kilograms of bananas, and 60,000 energy gels... These figures reflect the sincerity of the organizing committee. In terms of cultural and creative products, the Chengdu Marathon has continued the "Chengzai" theme while innovating in design and product categories, coordinating "online pre-ordering + offline purchasing" so that participants can take home more tangible memories of the marathon.

In recent years, Chengdu has successfully hosted international events such as the World Table Tennis Championships, the Universiade, and the Sudirman Cup, gaining richer experience in event organization. The strength accumulated in the high-quality construction of a world-class event city ensures a smooth finish for all participating runners. Just like those dedicated runners sprinting toward the finish line, Chengdu in autumn is filled with a spirit of progress. Chengdu is sprinting forward in economy and construction!

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SOURCE 2024 Mengniu Chengdu Marathon