At eight o’clock Nov 11th, after the starting gun had been fired in the People’s Square, the 2018 Jinshenglan Cup Xianning International Hot Spring Marathon Competition kicked off. More than 13 000 athletes started running from here to measure the charm of the Xianning by their own foot, indulging themselves in this grand sports event.

City leaders, including the secretary of Xianning Municipal Party Committee and director of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People’s Congress, Ding Xiaoqiang, vice director of Hubei Provincial Sports Bureau, Luo Qiyi, vice director of the Information Office of Hubei Provincial Government, Rong Hanjun, secretary of the Leading Party Group of the Standing Committee of Xianning Municipal People’s Congress and vice director, Wang Hanqiao, member of the Standing Committee and general secretary of the Xianning Municipal Party Committee, Zhang Fangsheng, member of the Standing Committee and director of the United Front Work Department of Xianning Municipal Party Committee, Zhou Yong, and vice mayor: Liu Fuxing, Wu Gang, Wang Fanfei fired the gun together for the starting of the 2018 Xianning International Hot Spring Marathon Competition.

At the sound of the starting pistol, athletes started from the People’s Square and ran towards the finish line in a delightful pace. Passing through main streets and scenic spots in downtown areas, such as the Xianning Avenue, Yinquan Avenue, Qigu Avenue, Jingui Road, Chang’e Avenue, West Belt Highway, Taiyi Avenue, East Mengyanghao Road, and Maili Mountian Road, etc, the athletes truly appreciated the unique fascination of park city in Yangtze River Valley. In the meantime, Ding Xiaoqiang and other city leaders also shared the delight of athletes by taking part in the mini marathon.

This year’s theme of Xianning Marathon is “running toward love”, with 13 509 people having joined in it, comprising 2119 people who took part in full marathon, 3480 people in half marathon and 7910 people in mini marathon. Besides, apart from those domestic marathon talents, there were also 23 athletes from abroad.

Ever since the resounding success of the first Xianning International Hot Spring Marathon Competition in 2016, more and more citizens have joined in sports activities, especially running. Silver-haired senior people, youngsters in the prime of life and innocent kids, they all immersed themselves in the boundless joy of running. The youngest and the oldest participants of Xianning marathon this year are 3 years old and 73 years old respectively. The post 70s and post 80s comprised the majority of this marathon. 

Along the two sides of the running track, people can hear unceasing sound of cheering from the zealous Xianning citizens, who waved colorful flags, beat the gongs and drums and carried banners in their hands to cheer on the athletes. In the meantime, diverse art and sports performances, such as the tapping dance, were also put on there, adding more Xianning elements to the marathon competition.

Drawing from the accumulated experience of the former competitions, the 2018 Xianning International Hot Spring Marathon paid much more attention to the services and experience of athletes. The 5 major sections of Xianning marathon this year have undergone a comprehensive upgrading: the city proper took up much larger area of the running track, and the track environments have also seen a upgrading; 70 extra social volunteers have been added to join in the supplies work after the competition; it also brought in helicopter rescue and it is live broadcasted by Hubei Television Station; considerate services, including bathing in hot spring, ice compress, foot bath and drinking chicken soup, etc, were prepared too.

After the fierce competition, Kenyan athlete, TUM DAVID KIPLAGAT won the champion of the men’s full marathon, athlete from Kenya, EYANAE PAUL won the champion of the men’s half marathon, Chinese athlete, Yang Fengxia got the laurel in the women’s full marathon, and the Chinese athlete, Li Ruiling took the first place of the women’s half marathon.

This is the third Xianning marathon, which is jointly sponsored by Chinese Athletic Association, Hubei Provincial Sports Bureau and Xianning Municipal People’s Government, and co-hosted by Hubei Provincial Athletic Association, Xianning Municipal Sports Bureau and Xian’an District Government, and it aims to be upgraded into a silver medal sports competition of the Chinese Athletic Association.

Xianning Daily Media Group sent its live broadcast team to give live coverage of the whole competition with UAV, aiming to demonstrate the dynamic competition process and beautiful scenery of Xianning City three-dimensionally. What’s more, athletes from all over the world and their relatives and friends all posted pictures and videos manifesting the trendy and beautiful Xianning City of unique characteristics on social network platforms, having received a great number of likes and good comments, which strongly introduced Xianning City to the whole world. (By Zhu Zhe, Song Wenhu and Wu Wenjin/Xianning Daily)