2024 Jinan Marathon kicked off in Lixia district

The 2024 Jinan Marathon began at 7:30 am on Oct 27 at Daming Lake Scenic Area in Lixia district, drawing 30,000 runners from provinces including Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Anhui, and Heilongjiang. Participants gathered to experience the historic charm of Jinan while celebrating the spirit of marathon running.

Runners in the Jinan Marathon during the race. [Photo/VCG]

The event featured a full marathon, a half-marathon, and a fun run. Of the 30,000 participants, 19,800 came from outside Shandong. The marathon is certified as an A1-class event by the China Athletics Association and is part of the ''Lucky Shandong'' Marathon City League.

All three courses started at Daming Lake Road, with the full and half-marathons ending at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center on Longao North Road and the fun run ending at Quancheng Square. Runners passed iconic landmarks like Black Tiger Spring and Baotu Spring.

Enthusiastic locals lined the streets, cheering runners on and creating a warm atmosphere. [Photo/Jinan Daily]

After fierce competition, Chen Yujin from Henan claimed the men's marathon title in 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 4 seconds. Li Zhixuan from Inner Mongolia won the women's marathon in 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 14 seconds. In the half-marathon, Shandong's Xu Wenhao won the men's race in 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds, while Sun Xiaohui, also from Shandong, took the women's title in 1 hour, 21 minutes, and 19 seconds.

The event highlighted Jinan's heritage and community spirit, making it a memorable celebration of sports and culture.