By Rui Hu, Yiling Wang, Mikkel Larsen, iChongqing News

Chongqing- The 2019 Chongqing International Marathon kicked off with a bang at 7:30 on Mar. 31^st  on Nanbin and Babin Rd. More than 30.000 runners, professional, and amateurs took to the streets to participate in the largest sports event in Chongqing. 

At 7 o'clock in the morning, on the way to the starting point of the around Sheraton Hotel, there were participants walking along the way. At 7:30, the 2019 Chongqing International Marathon officially started and more than 30.000 participants started their marathon journey. In the professional athletes' competition, runners from Ethiopia and Kenya won the top 3 places in men's championship. Jimma Shambel Tufa from Ethiopia won 1^st place in men's group with a time of 2h10'25''. In the female group, Aberu Mekuria Zennebe from Ethiopia won the 1^st prize while Chinese runner Zhixuan Li and Yinli He won the 2^nd and 3^rd place. The total prize amount for this competition was over RMB 1.7 million. 

Awarding ceremony for top 3 places on Chongqing International Marathon

The competition distinguished by groups is the full marathon, half marathon, mini-marathon, and parent-child marathon. This year's event attracted more 100 thousand applicants, and only 30,000 got the chance. They are from more than 50 countries and regions, and 487 cities at home and abroad. There are 220 foreign athletes and 106 athletes from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

Runners in the marathon race

A runner in the marathon participating with his baby

Rui Deng, a runner from Sichuan, who had just finished his half-marathon, told us that it is his first time to run marathon in Chongqing and he felt good to run in a city like this, “I would like to have hotpot after the race, my goal was to make my personal best (PB) (record) in 1 hour 40 mins for half marathon, and I finished the race in 1 hour and 38 minutes this time. It is impressive, I made some progress in Chongqing. If I could win the draw of the application for next year, I would surely come again!” Deng said.

In addition to the enthusiastic contestants, at the Marathon site on Nanbin Road, there have been numerous crowds on both sides of the road. This year, Chongqing marathon was on broadcasted live on CQTV Entertainment channel since 7:15 am., local people could watch their friends and family participating live on TV.