On December 10th, 2023, the Guangzhou Marathon started at the Tianhe Sports Center in Guangzhou.

As a young event, the Guangzhou Marathon is celebrating its tenth year. Today, it has grown into a highly influential marathon event in China with high-level competition and strong media coverage. It is also recognized as a Gold Label race by World Athletics, attracting runners from around the world to mark their participation.

This year’s event featured both full marathon and half marathon categories with a total of 30,000 participants: 20,000 for the full marathon and 10,000 for the half marathon. Runners from all over the world gathered in this beautiful city to enjoy this running feast.

The energy was electric as the starting gun fired off at the Tianhe Sports Center, sending a wave of color through the city streets. The picturesque course, dubbed “Guangzhou’s most beautiful,” led runners along the Pearl River, showcasing the city’s vibrant landscape.

The half marathon saw Sun Xiaoyang and Huang Xuemei claim the top spots in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.

The full marathon saw fierce competition, culminating in Kenyan athlete Moses Kibet’s impressive victory. His time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 2 seconds marked the second-best performance in the race’s history. Ethiopian runner Getneti Imena secured the women’s title with a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes and 30 seconds.

China’s own Wu Xiangdong and Zhong Jiameng had strong showings, placing fourth and fifth in the men’s and women’s categories respectively. Their performances illustrate the growing strength of Chinese Marathon runners on the international stage.

The event serves not only as a platform for athletic excellence but also as a celebration of running and its unifying power. As the city prepares for its next chapter, one thing is certain: the Guangzhou Marathon will continue to inspire and motivate runners of all levels for years to come.