On October 27, 2024, the Baoji Marathon kicked off, drawing an impressive crowd of 26,000 runners from across the country. These participants gathered in Baoji, known as the “Home of Bronze,” to share in the joy and excitement that marathon running brings.
As one of the cradles of Chinese civilization, Baoji is situated in the central part of the Weihe River valley and has a rich history, formerly known as “Chen Cang.” It is the ancestral home of Emperor Yan and the birthplace of Zhou and Qin culture. This year’s marathon adopted the theme “A Thousand-Year Treasure Land, Leading the Way,” and was jointly organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Sports Bureau and the Baoji Municipal People’s Government, with certification from the Chinese Athletics Association and the Shaanxi Provincial Athletics Association. The event was managed by Weiying Sports Operation Co., Ltd.
The marathon featured categories for both men and women, including full marathons, half marathons, and health runs, attracting participants of all ages. The race route began at the city administration square and passed several iconic landmarks, such as the Baoji Grand Theater, the Baoji Folk Museum, the city sports complex, and the Chinese Stone Drum Park, allowing runners to experience the stunning urban landscape and rich history of Baoji while they raced.
In a thrilling competition, Xu Ruan from Chongqing clinched the men’s marathon title with a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 33 seconds, while Bai Li from Chaoyang, Liaoning, took home the women’s crown with a finish of 2 hours, 34 minutes, and 32 seconds. In the half-marathon, Yang Xin from Baoji won the men’s title with a time of 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 53 seconds, and Xiao Jing from Lanzhou, Gansu, secured the women’s title with a time of 1 hour, 17 minutes, and 44 seconds.
The organizers highlighted that in recent years, Baoji has been committed to its goal of becoming a leading sports city, actively implementing the national fitness strategy. They aim to leverage sports as a means to enhance the city’s influence, improve its quality, and invigorate its vitality. This includes a comprehensive approach to developing mass sports, competitive sports, youth sports, the sports industry, and sports culture together. The city has successfully hosted various high-level sports events, such as the China (Baoji) International Badminton Masters, the National Youth Shooting Championships, and the National Aoshang Ski Open, thereby injecting robust momentum into Baoji’s high-quality development.
