Record number of Chinese runners to compete in Gold Coast Marathon

China's marathon team to participate in the Gold Coast Marathon in Australia was finalized in Beijing on Tuesday and marked a historic moment with 215 Chinese runners, a record, set to take part in the event.

Via video links, Jason Lucas, international director of Experience Gold Coast, and Paul Donovan, chairman of Events Management Queensland, extended warm welcomes and best wishes to the team.

Lucas expressed his delight in welcoming the Chinese runners to the annual extravaganza and introduced the Gold Coast Marathon's longstanding reputation as a symbol of the city.

The team, led by Chen Zhuoyang, director of the Overseas Division of Beijing Century Sports, consists of runners aged two years and seven months to 73. They will compete in the full marathon, half marathon, 10 kilometers, and 5 kilometers categories. Twelve runners from the group will challenge themselves by running back-to-back - both Saturday's half marathon and Sunday's full distance.

Chinese elite runners Anubaike Kuwan and Liu Min will compete as special invitees. Liu won the Beijing Half Marathon in 2023 and 2024.

The races will be held from July 6 to 7, and the Chinese team will take off from Guangzhou to Australia's Brisbane on July 3.