Contestants surged forward from the starting line. Photo by Wang Hu and Qiao Senyao, the All-media Journalists

Xiangyang Daily (Hu Caidi, the All-media Journalist) On October 19, the Mengniu Xiangyang Marathon 2025 commenced with great enthusiasm at Zhuge Liang Square in Xiangyang, Hubei Province. A total of 22,000 runners from across China participated in this event. Yu Tong from Ezhou, Hubei Province, and Ye Rui from Chongqing emerged victorious, claiming the championships in the men’s and women’s full-distance races, respectively.

This event is officially certified by the Chinese Athletic Association (CAA) and is jointly hosted by the Hubei Provincial Sport Bureau and the Xiangyang Municipal People’s Government. The organization of this event falls under the purview of the Xiangyang Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, with co-organization support from the Xiangcheng District People’s Government, Fancheng District People’s Government, the Management Committee of the Xiangyang High-tech Industry Development Zone, relevant municipal units, and Hubei Sports Industry Group Co., Ltd.’s Yangtze River Event Operation Co., Ltd. Supervision is provided by the Hubei Provincial Athletic Association. At the same time, operational management is entrusted to Guangzhou Borun Sports Technology Co., Ltd. The event comprises three categories: marathon (42.195 kilometers), half-marathon (21.0975 kilometers), and a health run (approximately 7 kilometers).

At 7:30, Deputy Secretary of the Xiangyang Municipal Party Committee and Mayor Du Haiyang, along with Cai Minjun, Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Wuhan; Zheng Lihui, Member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Hubei Provincial Sport Bureau; Lv Yibin, Chairman of the Xiangyang Municipal People’s Congress; Li Shi, Chairman of the Xiangyang Municipal Political Consultative Conference; as well as city-level leaders Hu Yong, Xu Bing, Wang Fang, Yang Huatang; and Liu Yongsheng, Vice President of Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy (Group) Co., Ltd., jointly inaugurated this marathon.

With the sound of the starting gun, led by world champion Mo Wanyu from Xiangyang and cheered on by an enthusiastic audience, 22,000 contestants surged forward from the starting line. They embarked on this running feast.

After a fierce competition, Yu Tong, an “all-in” athlete from Ezhou, Hubei Province, and a five-time runner-up of this marathon, claimed victory in the men’s category with an impressive finishing time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 48 seconds. Tan Zengli from Shaoyang, Hunan Province, secured the runner-up position, while Yang Bin from Beijing took third place. In the women’s group, Ye Rui from Chongqing won the championship. Wu Jinping from Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, finished as the runner-up, followed by Wang Mingyun from Fuzhou, Fujian Province, in third place.

The men’s half-marathon championship was claimed by Qin Wei from Ankang, Shaanxi Province, while the women’s half-marathon title was secured by Wu Ling from Wuhan, Hubei Province. The champion of the health run is Yin Licheng, a first-year student at Xiangyang Twenty-Fourth Middle School.

The Xiangyang Marathon, established in 2017, has completed four consecutive editions. The inaugural event in 2017 was recognized by the CAA as a “Bronze Medal Event” and a “Red Culture Characteristic Event.” In 2018, the Xiangyang Marathon distinguished itself among 1,581 marathon events nationwide and became a significant stop on the “Running China” marathon series themed “Carrying Reform to the End,” achieving an upgrade to a “Silver Medal Event.” By 2019, it had earned the title of “Gold Medal Event” from the CAA. In 2023, it was acknowledged as a model case for road running events by the CAA, serving as an exemplary city image media communication initiative.

It has been reported that this year’s Xiangyang Marathon has reached a historic milestone, with the total number of participants increasing from 20,000 in the previous edition to 22,000. Furthermore, the overall registrations have surpassed 110,000. This competition continues along its classic route and aims to showcase the “most beautiful martial arts style track.” Starting from Zhuge Liang Square, runners pass by iconic attractions such as Changhong Bridge, the Ancient City of Xiangyang, and the Tangcheng Scenic Area. Along the route, there are 29 distinctive “supply stations” set up for participants. Additionally, each finish line features a “team of volunteers dressed in ancient costumes” and unique check-in exhibition areas where contestants can take photos as mementos. Moreover, this event offers participants various benefits, including discounts on tickets to renowned scenic spots, extended hotel check-out times, complimentary bus services, and medical support services. These provisions allow runners from across China to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of this ancient city while creating lasting memories of their experience in Xiangyang.