On the morning of December 21, the 2025 Guangzhou Marathon started with a gunfire at the Tianhe Sports Center. Leaders and guests including Sun Zhiyang, Mayor of Guangzhou, fired the starting gun for the event.
Founded in 2012, the Guangzhou Marathon has grown into one of the most influential marathon events in China. As the first large-scale sports event held in Guangzhou after the 15th National Games and the National Paralympic and Special Olympic Games, the 2025 Guangzhou Marathon is also the final IAAF Gold Label Road Race certified event to debut in China this year. Featuring only the full marathon, the race saw 26,000 runners set off from the South Square of Tianhe Sports Center, pass through iconic urban landmarks such as Liede Bridge, Canton Fair Complex and Canton Tower, cross four districts namely Tianhe, Haizhu, Liwan and Yuexiu, and finally reach Haixinsha Ring Road, fully showcasing Guangzhou’s historical and cultural features as well as modern urban vitality.
It is reported that the 2025 Guangzhou Marathon, themed “Guangzhou Marathon of the Greater Bay Area”, has continuously optimized its event organization and services. The starting time was adjusted to 7:00 a.m., marking the first time that a joint referee mechanism involving referees from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao was implemented. An innovative “no bag check-in” convenient participation method was launched, along with the addition of 10 sprinkler stations and over 1,055 toilet stalls, comprehensively upgrading the professional level of the event and the runners’ experience. Coinciding with the Winter Solstice, the organizing committee also prepared festival foods such as dumplings and glutinous rice balls in the finish area, creating a strong traditional festival atmosphere. In addition, the event simultaneously built the “Travel with the Race” brand, providing runners with an integrated “sports + culture and tourism” experience. Participants can enjoy a series of exclusive discounts at major scenic spots, hotels and restaurants in Guangzhou in December and have a great time in the City of Rams.
Zhong Nanshan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and recipient of the Medal of the Republic, Cui Jian, Director of the Guangdong Provincial Sports Bureau, municipal leaders Zhang Rui and Jiang Zhitao, Peng Gaofeng, Executive Deputy Director and Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Guangzhou Division of the 15th National Games and the National Paralympic and Special Olympic Games, and Chen Aisen, Olympic diving champion and men’s team diving champion of the 15th National Games, attended the event.
