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Dongying marathon attracts huge turnout.
By Ju Chuanjiang and Zhao Ruixue (China Daily Shandong Bureau)
Updated: 2009-05-25 18:45

The 2009 Yellow River Estuary International Marathon (YREIM) was held in Dongying city on the Yellow River Delta, on May 23.

Dongying marathon attracts huge turnout.
Japhet Kosgei Kipkorir from Kenya rushes to the finishing line.

10,000 competitors and more than 1000 veteran Marathon athletes from 11 countries and regions including Italy, Japan, Finland and Britain took part.

Japhet Kosgei Kipkorir from Kenya and Chinese Sun Lamei took out honors in the men's and women's marathon respectively.

Dongying marathon attracts huge turnout.
Domestic and overseas athletes compete in the race.

To build a platform for both professional athletes and amateurs, the competition set four events - both men's and women's marathon (42.195km), Half Marathon(21.0975km), Modified Marathon(10km) and Mini Marathon(5km).

Professional domestic marathon runners from 27 provinces and regions including Liaoning, Hong Kong and Taiwan also participated.

Dongying marathon attracts huge turnout.
Award ceremony of women marathon. Sun Lamei from China (center) got the champion. 

The competition was jointly organized by Chinese Athletic Association, Sports Bureau of Shandong Province and Dongying Municipal Government.

Henceforth YREIM, as a regular sports gala, will be held every year in Dongying.