China Youyang Acorus Grassland Ecological Marathon Kicks Off

The 2023 China Youyang Jinxiu Huatian Acorus Grassland Ecological Marathon occurred on July 9 in Chongqing. The event in Youyang County saw participation from more than 500 runners from across China, who engaged in a friendly competition on a course with an average altitude of over 1,200 meters, sharing the joy and camaraderie of the run.

The marathon comprised a Half Marathon (21.0975 km) featuring 279 male and 113 female runners and a 5-kilometer Happy Run, which saw the participation of 127 runners.

The marathon was staged in the Changpugai Scenic Area in Youyang County, known for its average altitude of over 1,200 meters and sprawling over 100 square kilometers. Often referred to as "Ordos in the South of the Yangtze River" and "Western Sichuan Grassland in Chongqing," the area is developing a tourism product structure of "one axis + five clusters." These clusters include alpine pastures, star-admiring locations, mountain sports venues, cliff viewing points, and cliff resorts. In addition, it offers a viewing platform, starry sky camping base, alpine pasture, and honeycomb hotel, among other cultural and tourism products. With its signature views of "a sea of clouds, a sea of flowers, and stars," Changpugai Scenic Area has become a paradise for countless tourists.

Throughout the race, the runners enjoyed the fresh air abundant in negative oxygen ions, beheld the scenic area's breathtaking views of clouds and flowers, appreciated the unique ecological and cultural scenery of Youyang, and reveled in the exhilaration that only a marathon can bring.

Following an intense competition, the top three finishers in the Men's Half Marathon were Zhou Bo (1:11:09), Zhao Xiangbo (1:11:34), and Chen Xinyu (1:13:14). For the Women's Half Marathon, Dong Tian came out on top, completing the race in one hour, 28 minutes, and 56 seconds, followed by Zhou Liangju in second place (1:34:41) and Li Chunxia in third place (1:35:46).