International runners highlight passion, diversity and inclusion at Shanghai half marathon

Seto Yoshio from Japan, competing in his second Shanghai Half Marathon, attracted a lot of attentions by wearing a suit instead of traditional sporting apparel.

"I started to wear a suit while competing in the 2018 Osaka Marathon," said Yoshio, the chief executive officer at Shanghai FTS Cosmetics.

"Sporting this style of attire in competitions helps not only others recognize me, but also attract cheering of "jiayou," or "go for it" in English. I think this is an excellent way to facilitate communication and foster camaraderie among participants," he added.

As a member of Luwan Run Club, one of Shanghai's biggest and most influential running clubs, the Japanese runner has high praise for the city's sports atmosphere.

"Shanghai's sports atmosphere is great, with a lot of high-level runners. The number of participants continues to grow, which greatly helps stimulate the development of the sport in Shanghai," he said.